Restrained an autistic boy - Special needs school brutally restrained pupil

Home » News & Knowledge » Leeds special needs school ‘brutally’ restrained an autistic boy in a calming room

CCTV of an autistic pupil being restrained by staff in a seclusion room at a special school is ‘brutal’ and ‘unlawful’, a restraint expert has told the BBC.

The footage shows the 12-year-old being held face-down on the floor in a prone restraint involving five members of staff.

Restrained an autistic boy

His mother said she was ‘horrified’ when she watched it.

The management of the school, in Leeds, said multiple investigations found staff had no case to answer and the expert views were a ‘difference of opinion’.

CCTV footage of the offences committed

Released CCTV includes one 50-minute video in which a 12-year-old autistic pupil is repeatedly restrained by staff and shown trying to kick them.

Near the end of the footage, the child swings his arm at staff and is then dragged to the floor. He is then held in a prone restraint for three minutes.

Eric Baskind, an expert on the use of force in institutional settings who has reviewed the footage, said the restraint is “too brutal, unnecessary and, in my view, unlawful” – an opinion endorsed by a second expert asked to review the footage by the BBC.

According to Mr. Baskind, the use of force was irrational because the child was already under the staff’s control and could have been seated on the bench.

“They just dragged him (into the prone position),” he explained. “That would have been really traumatic, and it would have escalated the hostility in the situation, which is the exact opposite of what they ought to have been trying to do.”

Expert opinions come forward

Another education specialist expert, Elizabeth Swan, deemed the use of force was “unreasonable, excessive, and unnecessarily prolonged.”

She added that the space seemed like a “holding cell” and that depriving autistic kids of sensory stimulation can be traumatising for many of them.

The boy’s mother, Zoe, requested the footage from the school through an application for his personal information known as a subject access request, and later shared it with the BBC.

Zoe also said, “This is a child, and these are five grown adults in a school where he’s supposed to be safe,” she continued.

“A calming room should have soft lighting, teddies, and blankets to help kids relax. Not a cushioned cell. You wouldn’t put an animal in there.”

Wellspring Academy Trust’s chief executive responds to the incident

Mark Wilson, the Chief Executive of Wellspring Academy Trust, responded by declaring that the organisation had looked into the footage three times and found no case to answer against staff.

An investigation by Leeds City Council’s local authority designated officer, who handles complaints against individuals who work with children, had concluded that the malpractice was unsubstantiated.

Mr. Wilson went on to say that the occurrence was typical of those that occur in schools “from time to time” and this “difference of opinion” concerned footage which was “selective”, lacking sound and context and was inaccurately misrepresentative staff care.

He added that Ofsted gave the school a “good” rating.

Previous investigation into seclusion

A previous investigation into seclusion occurred where an autistic pupil who was aged five was detained for prolonged periods at a different school.

The abuse of these facilities known variously as calming, quiet or safe rooms – began last year when CCTV was uncovered of non-verbal pupils being abused and neglected at Whitefield School in north London.

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described those failings as “horrendous” and said they “must never happen again”.

Concerns about the use of such rooms elsewhere have been raised, including footage recorded in October 2023 at Springwell Leeds Academy North site – a school for pupils with social, emotional, and mental health special needs.

Although the door to the room at the Leeds school was open, the BBC’s investigation into seclusion has revealed that pupils are also sometimes locked in rooms elsewhere. Zip-up tents have also been used – and even, in one instance, a cage.

The BBC spoke to an eight-year-old autistic pupil who was repeatedly locked inside seclusion rooms at a different school while aged five.

The boy told them that being sent there was “horrible” and left him feeling angry and worried.

“It was just very scary because they can put me in there for as long as they want,” he said.

A similar investigation occurred

An initial investigation into Whitefield School in London showed pupils being pushed into rooms with Rhino pads – that are often used in rugby training – and also being thrown to the floor and left sitting in vomit before its calming rooms were shut in 2017.

However, no rules have been changed and schools in the UK are not legally required to tell parents when they place their child in seclusion.

In 2021, 550 hours of CCTV were handed to the Metropolitan Police after it had been discovered by new leadership at Whitefield School – but the force’s investigation into staff concluded last year without anyone being charged.

The BBC has learned that the local authority where the school is based, Waltham Forest, was warned that calming rooms were being over-used at Whitefield the year before they were shut down following an Ofsted inspection – but it failed to act.

A charity, the British Institute of Learning Disabilities, visited the school and warned of the harms of seclusion. Waltham Forest did not comment when approached by the BBC.

Response to the latest findings

Bridget Phillipson, the Education Secretary, has repeatedly declined to be interviewed over the unregulated nature of calming rooms.

The government responded to the most recent findings by stating that it is awaiting the results of a Waltham Forest investigation and that a consultation regarding the use of force and restrictive measures is now underway.

Although it will not be a legal necessity, the draft guidance asks schools to have a seclusion policy.

In the meantime, a campaign group led by the relatives of Whitefield students is urging the government to act.

One of the 39 impacted Whitefield students’ parents, Maria, claimed that ministers:

“Have seen the footage and said, ‘this can’t happen again’ – and yet there’s no change.”

“Anything that happens to any other child or young person since they said that is on them – as their inaction makes them culpable.”

According to Maria, the “most degrading, dehumanising and undignified video” she had ever seen was of her child in the Whitefield calming rooms.

The Challenging Behaviour Foundation charity’s Gemma Grant also stated that although school employees deal with many challenges, seclusion rooms are “outdated and inhumane” and ought to be prohibited.

According to Mrs. Grant, there will be no legal obligation to inform parents about the use of seclusion, even though it is “really clear it’s causing harm to children.”

However, schools in England will be legally forced to report the use of force to parents starting in September.

Although it is not required by law, schools in England and Scotland are already advised to notify parents of seclusion as soon as possible. While Wales requires schools to get parental approval, Northern Ireland is developing statutory advice on seclusion.

Frequently asked questions

The experts in abuse claims

Schools should be safe, happy, places where children and young people can learn, develop, and form positive friendships and relationships.

As children, we spend a huge amount of time in education and when we have negative experiences at school this can have devastating effects that stay with us into adulthood.

Unfortunately, abuse in schools is common and is not something that only happened years ago. While the general public have increased awareness about abuse and those employed in schools are subject to more vigorous safeguarding checks than they were in the past, abuse still happens.

There are also many people who have still not come forward to report abuse that happened to them at school, college or even university.

Who will I bring the claim against?

Usually where you have suffered abuse in an educational setting, the claim will be brought against the organisation who owns or runs the school or college. Often this will be the local authority.

Some schools may be privately owned. Universities in England and Wales are not publicly owned, and the claim will normally be brought against Trustees of the university.

I am a parent, and my child has suffered abuse at school recently. Can a claim be made now?

Yes. As the parent you will be able to deal with the claim on behalf of your child. Where a person under 18 brings a claim for compensation, they need to have what is known as a ‘Litigation Friend’.

If any compensation is recovered, it will in all cases be held by Court in a special account until the child reaches 18.

Leeds special needs school ‘brutally’ restrained an autistic boy in a calming room