Department of Education faces UN complaint over school guidance on use of physical restraint

Campaigners are to complain to the United Nations top official on torture and degrading treatment over new guidance for schools that they say fails to protect vulnerable children from physical restraint.

The new guidelines for dealing with “behaviours of concern”, which come into force across schools from September, prohibit the use of seclusion and only permit physical restraint in “crisis” situations.

Children’s rights advocates, however, say the guidance lacks sufficient safeguards to protect children.

Read more...

Published in The Irish Times, 7th April 2025