Autistic abuse case must never happen again - No 10

The abuse of autistic children that took place at the Whitefield School in north-east London was "horrendous" and "must never happen again", the prime minister's spokesperson has said.

The BBC has obtained footage of children at the school being shoved into padded rooms, thrown to the floor or left alone, sitting in their own vomit.

Responding to the videos, No 10 said the education department was looking at strengthening the guidance on the use of seclusion in specialist schools and would set out more information "as soon as possible".

Currently the government's guidance says schools can place disruptive pupils in seclusion or isolation rooms for a limited period.

It also says schools should ensure children are "kept in seclusion or isolation no longer than is necessary and that their time spent there is used as constructively as possible".

Children's Commissioner for England Rachel de Souza has called for a review "without delay" of the use of restraint and so-called "calming rooms”, following the BBC revelations.

In a statement, she described the experiences of the children involved as "absolutely appalling", saying "no child should ever be physically restrained under such conditions and with such a lack of compassion, especially those who are so vulnerable”.

Restraint should only ever be used when it was "essential to keep a child safe", and then "for the shortest time possible”, she added.

A police investigation was launched after staff at the Whitefield school discovered a box of USB memory sticks containing 500 hours of CCTV taken inside the padded room between 2014 and 2017.

The investigation ended earlier this year without any charges.

About 40 children with learning disabilities and severe mental disorders were confined for hours in the rooms - typically without food or drink.

Six families of the children involved have agreed for the BBC to show the footage.

The videos show the children in acute distress and many are seen injuring themselves.

Safeguarding expert Elizabeth Swan said it was "easily the worst footage" she had seen.

“You look at the children and they're being defeated and responding to that treatment with self-injurious behaviour, it's torture,” she added.

The school's local MP Conservative Sir Iain Duncan Smith said the "jaw-dropping" footage should lead to "profound change".

Asked about the footage, the prime minister's spokesperson said: "The department is looking at the guidance in this space but it is clearly a horrendous case.

"We are clear that this cannot and should not have happened and should not happen again."