A campaigning mum has won cross-party support for her calls to reduce restraint in Northern Ireland’s special schools.
Deidre Shakespeare is leading the fight for tougher rules in the province by campaigning for “Harry’s Law”.
Harry Shakespeare strapped into the chair that spurred mum Deidre’s campaign
Shakespeare, from County Tyrone, has said 10-year-old son Harry was strapped to a chair “like an animal” at Knockavoe School & Resource Centre, in Strabane, between September 2016 and May 2017.
Lack of ‘statutory guidance’
Last month (May 2021), a motion that won universal support in Northern Ireland’s Assembly criticised the lack of “statutory guidance” on restraint from the Department of Education.
Prompted by the experience of Harry, who has autism, it called for guidance on “therapeutic-based, non-aversive, positive behaviour strategies”.
The motion also called for mandatory staff training, guidance on definitions of restraint and “last resort”, recording and reporting of all incidents and the abolition of isolation rooms.
Campaign is ‘about keeping all children safe’
Shakespeare said though her campaign started as a fight for her son, it’s now “about keeping all children safe in their school”.
The mum, who has fought for Harry alongside husband Rodney, says seeing the motion get cross-party support felt like “we were vindicated”.
Broader UK campaign on restraint and seclusion
The campaign is part of a broader UK-wide attempt to toughen the law on restraining and secluding special needs pupils.
Beth Morrison, the chair of Positive and Active Behaviour Support Scotland (PABSS), has led the fight across the UK to tighten up the law.
Chris Lyttle, an Alliance Party politician who has led calls for reform over restraint and seclusion
Chris Lyttle is an Alliance Party politician who has led calls for reform over restraint and seclusion in Northern Ireland’s Assembly.
Speaking last month, Lyttle, who chairs the Assembly’s education committee, urged the Department for Education to work “in partnership with parents and other stakeholders”.
The Department for Education has set up a working group to look at restraint and seclusion.
Related:
- 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
Published: 21 June 2021
