❓ Question regarding the appropriateness and authorisation of isolation room usage in WA schools, particularly for students with disabilities and special needs. The Minister defends the practice as necessary for safety and de-escalation, denying claims of 'padded cells'.
AnsweredQoN 658Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
SCHOOLS —
ISOLATION ROOMS
658. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
I refer to news coverage of the use of isolation rooms in
schools.
(1) Is the minister confident that each use of these
facilities has been appropriate?
(2) Can the
minister guarantee that there has not been any inappropriate or unauthorised
use of these facilities?
ISOLATION ROOMS
658. Hon SUE ELLERY to the
Minister for Education:
I refer to news coverage of the use of isolation rooms in
schools.
(1) Is the minister confident that each use of these
facilities has been appropriate?
(2) Can the
minister guarantee that there has not been any inappropriate or unauthorised
use of these facilities?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for the question.
(1)–(2)
I am at pains not to give guarantees and that is not because I know something;
it is just that with 800 schools and the significant number of students with disabilities
and students with special needs, it cannot be that literally hundreds or
thousands of students are involved. Having said that, I was a little concerned
with the rhetoric from the media in particular in the comment that there are
padded cells in our schools for these students, which is an absolute nonsense
and does not reflect the situation at all. In some instances, it is appropriate
that students, whether they be students with special needs or students in the
mainstream environment, be isolated. That is more often than not to diffuse the
situation for the safety of both the child and his or her peers, and that has
never been any different. We are not going back to the Dark Ages or the
Industrial Revolution whereby we literally isolate individual students in
concrete or padded cells; it just does not work that way. Having said that, if
students are put in isolation, it is done so with the consent of the parent and
with the consent of all involved at the school. It is for a limited time, it is
a very, very rare occasion, and in each and every instance the children are
observed through windows into the room or through constant contact. As I have
said, the notion of padded cells was an emotive term that does not reflect the
reality of the situation. However, in some instances, it is appropriate that
students should be isolated, as I said, for their benefit and for the benefit
of their peers and, ultimately, of course to diffuse the situation so that the
child can be returned to his or her classroom.
(1)–(2)
I am at pains not to give guarantees and that is not because I know something;
it is just that with 800 schools and the significant number of students with disabilities
and students with special needs, it cannot be that literally hundreds or
thousands of students are involved. Having said that, I was a little concerned
with the rhetoric from the media in particular in the comment that there are
padded cells in our schools for these students, which is an absolute nonsense
and does not reflect the situation at all. In some instances, it is appropriate
that students, whether they be students with special needs or students in the
mainstream environment, be isolated. That is more often than not to diffuse the
situation for the safety of both the child and his or her peers, and that has
never been any different. We are not going back to the Dark Ages or the
Industrial Revolution whereby we literally isolate individual students in
concrete or padded cells; it just does not work that way. Having said that, if
students are put in isolation, it is done so with the consent of the parent and
with the consent of all involved at the school. It is for a limited time, it is
a very, very rare occasion, and in each and every instance the children are
observed through windows into the room or through constant contact. As I have
said, the notion of padded cells was an emotive term that does not reflect the
reality of the situation. However, in some instances, it is appropriate that
students should be isolated, as I said, for their benefit and for the benefit
of their peers and, ultimately, of course to diffuse the situation so that the
child can be returned to his or her classroom.
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