Autistic pupils are abused in schools with minimal consequences for perpetrators.
That’s the view of Bristol councillor Kerry Bailes.
‘Restrained, secluded and excluded’
Bailes alleges eight-year-old son Cody was restrained, secluded and excluded at Fair Furlong Primary School, in Bristol.
Councillor Kerry Bailes with son Cody. Bailes says little is done to protect special needs children in school from abuse
She has asked local police commissioner Mark Shelford to investigate.
Bailes, 40, is also a founder member of the Bristol Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Alliance.
She says other members regularly see their children restrained, secluded and excluded.
‘Thrown out’
Cody, who has autism, experienced “physical and mental and emotional abuse”, alleges Bailes.
She claims Cody was “thrown out” into a car-park after a meltdown at Fair Furlong at four-years-old.
Cody returned home from school with bruises on multiple occasions, Bailes claims.
She alleges having later discovered three incidents of restraint were recorded, but says she believes there were other occasions when the boy was held.
UK campaign about restraint
Positive and Active Behaviour Support Scotland (PABSS) campaigns to toughen the law on restraint across the UK.
PABSS founder Beth Morrison said Scotland is about to publish new guidance and Northern Ireland is leading the way on reform.
Progress in England has been “non-existent”, while Wales has made a promising start, said Morrision.
Her group says there are times when children need to be restrained if they are posing a “significant threat to themselves or others”.
But Morrison maintains restraint is still too often the “default option”, rather than being used as a “last resort”.
‘We have responded directly’
Avon and Somerset Police told Autism Eye: “We can confirm that the PCC and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) have received a contact in the matter concerned. The PCC recognises how distressing these experiences must have been for Cllr Kerry Bailes as a parent and we have responded directly to her.”
Autism Eye contacted Bristol City Council, but they have not yet provided a statement.
Related:
- Mum videos son’s shocking restraint
- Politicians back crackdown on restraint
- Call for tight rules on school seclusion
- School pupils ‘suffer broken bones’
- Mum in court move over school restraint
- Legal plan to protect our schoolchildren
- Nine in ten disabled children restrained
- Protest at chill-out room reforms
- Scots take seclusion fight to parliament
- Dad demands tougher laws on restraint
- Mum reports school for restraining son
- Petition demands that police train in autism
- Mum petitions for forced autism training
Published: 16 August 2021
