Summary
CCTV footage from Whitefield School in London shows autistic children being abused in padded “calming rooms” between 2014-2017, including being shoved, restrained, left in distress, or forced to sit in vomit.
Police investigated but brought no charges, leaving families to cope with trauma. Over 40 children were affected, with some developing PTSD or epilepsy.
Safeguarding investigations revealed six staff members abused students, but they weren’t referred for banning. Parents accuse authorities of a cover-up, while calls grow for stricter regulation of seclusion practices in special schools across the UK.
I used to work as an IA, you’re right about the need for safe places for kids to calm down from agitated states. We used to essentially wrap them in gym floor padding until they calmed themselves. We had kids that were 20 years old and 200lbs, it’s not easy to keep them, the other students, and yourself safe when they’re upset.
It’s not difficult to empathize with them when they’d get upset either. Imagine being unable to talk to articulate what is bothering or hurting you, that kind of agitation is bound to build up until it comes to a boil. It was unfortunately all too common that members of the staff were not cut out for the work and only there for a check rather than having a passion to help.
One time my friend even asked me to put on one of the padded jackets to practice holds on me, because I, a full grown man, is the closest equivalent to what they are dealing with at work.