From http://au.news.yahoo.com/030906/2/ll41.html
Tuesday February 10, 08:00 AM
Disabled boy locked in 'cage'
Education authorities in Western Australia defended the policy under which
an intellectually disabled boy was repeatedly locked in a purpose-built
cage.
Perth grandmother Sheila Simons has claimed her 12-year-old grandson Neil,
who suffers from an autism-related disorder, was locked in the fenced
enclosure at Kenwick School for up to 80 minutes at a time.
The enclosure, which was the size of a small room bordered by a 3.5m mesh
fence, was built for Neil after the school sought advice from a behavioural
expert. It had no access to water or toilet facilities.
Ms Simons told The Australian newspaper that reports provided by the school
showed Neil frequently became distraught when locked in the enclosure, and
often took off his clothes and urinated and defecated in the enclosure.
The WA Department of Education's assistant director of student services,
John Brigg, defended the use of "withdrawal facilities" or "low stimulation
areas" as legitimate and widely accepted.
"Cage is your term, and we'll be looking into this but I can tell you ... it
is part of the policy that low stimulation areas be used where children with
extremely challenging behaviour can be withdrawn for short periods of time,"
Mr Brigg told reporters.
"We need to let you know that would not be the first port of call, that
would be the very last port of call."
Mr Brigg was unable to say if similar facilities were being used in any of
the 10 other education support schools throughout WA.
"I understand that the outcomes for this particular child in this particular
setting were very positive," he said.
"There were lots of gains made in terms of his behaviour, and his social
behaviour in particular."
However, David Wood, a paediatrician and chairman of advocacy group Kids
First Australia, said such a strategy was potentially dangerous and could
exacerbate long-term behavioural problems.
"I have never heard of anybody doing that. It is unbelievable," Dr Wood
said.
"For the medical field to lock someone up like that, you must lock them in a
padded cell where they can't hurt themselves and you medicate them. You only
do it as a last resort."
The withdrawal room policy was being reviewed, but it already involved
collaboration with all stakeholders, including parents and guardians, Mr
Brigg said.
Neil is still enrolled at Kenwick School, which has a total of 81 students
aged up to 18 years. The cage has been removed.
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