Changes to rules governing the use of restraint on children in secure training centres are being challenged in the High Court.
The case of a child, AC, is being brought as a judicial review test case on the secure training centre (STC) rules that were introduced by the government in July.
These rules widened the circumstances in which restraint could be used in STCs, which are privately-run child prisons, from preventing injury, damage to property or escape to the maintenance of “good order and discipline.”
The Secure Training Centre (Amendment) Rules 2007 were introduced following the inquests of 14-year-old Adam Rickwood and 15-year-old Gareth Myatt, who both died in secure training centres. Both inquests heard that staff regularly restrained children to secure compliance.
Speaking at the start of today’s court hearing, Deborah Coles, co-director of campaign group Inquest, said the government had changed the law “to make it more permissable to restrain children”.
She added: “In our view this change amounts to sanctioned child abuse against some of society’s most vulnerable children, which we fear will lead to more restraint, damage and harm to children and ultimately more deaths.”
More information
Secure Training Centre (Amendment) Rules 2007
Related articles
YJB: Using restraint to secure compliance is a sackable offence
Justice ministry digs in on extending restraint rules
Restraint row intensifies following Myatt verdict
A trauma-informed approach to social work: practice tips 
Problem gambling: how to recognise the warning signs 
Find out how to develop your emotional resilience with our free downloadable guide 
Develop your social work career with Community Care’s Careers and Training Guide 
‘Dear Sajid Javid: please end the inappropriate detention of autistic people and those with learning disabilities’
Ofsted calls for power to scrutinise children’s home groups
Seven in eight commissioners paying below ‘minimum rate for home care’
Facebook
X
LinkedIn
Instagram
Comments are closed.