Response: Call for views on the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill
This week we have sent our response to the Education, Children and Young People Committee’s call for views on the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill. This is a Members Bill, proposed by Daniel Johnson MSP.
Strong support for the Bill's key principles
The Promise Scotland strongly supports the key principles of the Bill, which aligns with the conclusion of the Independent Care Review, that Scotland must strive to become a nation that does not restrain its children.
We are grateful to those children, young people and adults and members of the workforce who have shared their stories and experiences in order to ensure change. We welcome the work of Daniel Johnson MSP and the tireless campaigning by experts such as Beth Morrison who have driven forward the work around restraint and seclusion to meet the commitment to ensure that children, young people and adults are safe, loved and respected wherever they are.
This is an important step in keeping the promise and in fulfilling the legal and human rights obligation that must be met following Scotland’s incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. We encourage MSPs to support the general principles of this Bill.
The Bill must be part of a broader framework
But as our response makes clear, it must not be the only step. This Bill must be part of a broader framework to ensure that the law around restraint and seclusion is robust, and children’s rights are respected and upheld in all settings, not just in school. This will need to include as a minimum: early years, education, residential and secure care, health and mental health settings, as well as prisons and custody environments.
If the same statutory obligations with regards to reporting and recording do not apply to all settings, we will not be able to understand the shifts in practice needed to become a nation that does not restrain its children.
So we seek assurance that further steps will be taken by the Scottish Government to take a similar approach for other settings of care. And we highlight the importance of ensuring the workforce feels valued and supported with supervision, reflective practice, and wellbeing supports.