Boy was 'restrained unnecessarily' at special school

The parent of a young lad "restrained unnecessarily" successful a seat successful schoolhouse has said she feels vindicated by a watchdog's study into the case.

Deirdre Shakespeare's lad Harry, who is autistic and non-verbal, was restrained successful a seat astatine his special schoolhouse without her knowledge.

The Public Services Ombudsman has investigated Ms Shakespeare's ailment astir Harry's treatment.

The watchdog said Harry was "restrained unnecessarily" and "the failures successful this lawsuit caused the child's parents a immense magnitude of distress".

At the clip of the incidental Harry was 5 years old.

The ombudsman besides criticised the Western Health Trust for failing to show his seating successful school.

He tin locomotion unaided but utilized a peculiar seat astatine schoolhouse mealtimes.

But according to the ombudsman's report, erstwhile the schoolhouse claimed it was having trouble moving him to the eating room, the spot added a wheeled basal to the chair.

The ombudsman said that an appraisal of Harry's needs should person been carried retired and that "in approving and fitting the wheeled basal to the seat the spot did not afloat see the child's quality rights".

"The child's parent besides said the thigh loop connected the seat was overmuch excessively tight," the ombudsman's study said.

"When she raised this with the spot she was told that the seat was besides utilized by others successful the school, and that her lad could usage different seat if she wished."

But that seat was "more restrictive and had ft straps, a thigh strap, and a wheeled base," the ombudsman said.

The ombudsman's study concluded that "the seat was an implicit medicine and caused him to beryllium restrained unnecessarily".

In a statement, the lawman ombudsman Sean Martin said: "The spot should person fixed guidance to the schoolhouse connected however to usage the specializer chairs truthful that the kid was lone restrained erstwhile it was perfectly necessary.

"The rule of utilizing the slightest restraint imaginable should beryllium an imperative for everyone, careless of the setting."

Harry is present 13 and Ms Shakespeare told BBC News NI that it had been "quite a lengthy investigation".

"We consciousness vindicated aft each this time," she said.

"It brings america immoderate benignant of closure that this contented - arsenic long-winded arsenic it has been - has present been investigated thoroughly.

"Harry can't speak, helium has nary dependable truthful this is an accidental for this study to beryllium his voice."

With different parents, Ms Shakespeare has been campaigning for a fig of years for Harry's Law - to marque it compulsory for schools to study erstwhile they isolated oregon restrained a child.

It would impact repeal of Article 4 of the Education (NI) Order 1998 which enables teachers to usage unit to halt pupils "engaging successful immoderate behaviour prejudicial to the attraction of bully bid and discipline".

That telephone has besides antecedently been backed by the celebrity and businesswoman Paris Hilton.

"We are looking for amended scrutiny whenever restrictive practices person been utilized connected a child," Ms Shakespeare said.

"As it presently stands determination is nary ineligible work for a schoolhouse to study whenever a kid has been restrained astatine school."

The Department of Education consulted connected caller statutory guidance connected the simplification and absorption of restrictive practices successful 2023.

But Ms Shakespeare said that it inactive near "a batch of grey areas and was precise unfastened to interpretation".

"It inactive didn't safeguard children," she said.

"The extremity end for america is to marque definite that whenever restraint has been utilized that it is recorded and reported.

"We don't privation to spot immoderate further loopholes being enactment successful place.

"We privation to spot amended safeguards successful spot truthful that this ne'er happens again."

She said that Harry was "very happy" successful schoolhouse now, but added that his lawsuit showed determination besides needed to beryllium a associated attack to restraint taken by the departments of wellness and education.

"They collaborate unneurotic successful schools and they're overseeing the attraction of our children," she said.

"I bash consciousness this should person been looked astatine from a wellness and acquisition position and not conscionable 1 oregon the other.

"We request to marque definite for each kid coming done into acquisition that each kid is safeguarded from the misuse of restrictive practices."