Paris Hilton supports tougher law on restraint in NI schools

Paris Hilton tweeted her support for the campaign

The celebrity and businesswoman Paris Hilton has backed parents trying to toughen to the law on restraint and seclusion in Northern Ireland schools.

Tweeting to almost 17 million followers she appealed to Stormont's Education Committee to provide "meaningful protections" to children.

The committee held a hearing on restrictive practice, seclusion and restraint in schools on Wednesday.

Some parents have previously called for stricter protocols.

The British Association of Social Workers Northern Ireland (BASWNI) has also said the practices could have damaging effects.

Department of Education (DE) guidance states that all incidents involving the use of reasonable force should be "rare" and must be recorded by schools.

However, the recording of such incidents is not a legal obligation.

'Appoint parent-carer champion'

MLAs on the Education Committee heard from representatives from the International Coalition against Restraint and Seclusion (ICARS) and Parent Action NI.

Orla Watt from Parent Action NI told MLAs that children with special educational needs had "suffered" restraint and seclusion in special and mainstream schools in recent years.

The children's commissioner has supported calls for stricter protocols on when schools can restrain or isolate children

Ms Watt said as well as new legislation there was a need for more training for school staff and boards of governors, and parent-carers wanted to be involved in that.

"We'd also like to request the appointment of a parent-carer champion similar to a mental health champion," she said.

SDLP MLA Daniel McCrossan agreed and said there was a "desperate need for a voice, someone central" to stand up for families.

Ulster Unionist MLA Robbie Butler also supported the need for a parent-carer champion.

In a briefing paper to the committee, ICARS said that stricter protocols on restraint and seclusion were needed so that the Northern Ireland Assembly could "fulfil its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child".

Mother's 'harrowing' evidence

Deirdre Shakespeare and Beth Morrsion - who founded ICARS with Zoe Read - also gave evidence to the committee.

The organisation is campaigning for Harry's Law, named after Ms Shakespeare's autistic son, which would make it compulsory for schools to report when they had restrained or isolated a child to parents and the Education Authority.

Deirdre Shakespeare's evidence was described as "extremely harrowing"

It would also mean that more school staff were trained in more positive ways to address a child's behaviour rather than resorting to restraint or seclusion.

"The first step is ensuring mandatory recording and documenting of any incidents of physical or mechanical restraint or the use of seclusion on a child," Ms Shakespeare said.

Ms Shakespeare also told the committee of her son Harry's experience of being restrained at school and the pain that had caused her family.

• Pupil restraint rules 'must be tougher'

In response the committee chair and Alliance Party MLA Chris Lyttle said MLAs would "do everything that we can" to support tougher protocols in Northern Ireland.

Sinn Féin MLA Pat Sheehan, the deputy chair of the committee, called Ms Shakespeare's evidence "extremely harrowing".

"We also have a responsibility to future generations to try and ensure whatever has happened to your children doesn't happen again," he said.

'Out-of-date guidance'

The Department of Education's Ricky Irwin acknowledged to the committee that more clarity was needed on when restraint and seclusion could be used in schools and that existing guidance was "out of date".

"Now more than ever we need to provide clarity on physical intervention, especially when supporting pupils with very complex needs who require this intervention as part of their support plan," he said.

"There is no legal requirement at present for schools to inform the department of incidents and any follow-up."

He said the department had not updated its advice on reasonable force since a circular issued in 1999 but was now carrying out a review on the use of restraint and seclusion in education.

He said that the views of school staff, children, young people and their parents and carers would be sought as part of the review.

However, there is as yet no timetable for when that review will be completed and any recommendations for change would have to be approved by Education Minister Peter Weir.

Mr Irwin said the evidence heard by the committee had been "disturbing" and the department wanted to make sure there was no inappropriate use of restraint or seclusion in schools.