No More Seclusion In Schools!

The Autistic Collective wholly supports the recent decision of the government to ban the practise of seclusion in schools. We also agree with statements made by Altogether Autism and the Human Rights Commission on the practise.

Seclusion is here defined as the forcible locking away of students in separate rooms, as a means of controlling their behaviour, punishing them, or simply because a member of the teaching staff doesn’t know what else to do.

We recognise that schools often face significant challenges in management of some students. Nonetheless, this practise amounts to a form of imprisonment, and a distressing breach of the students’ human rights.

We also call on the government to provide more intensive training for all schools in how to manage disabled students, especially those with autism. Prevention of behaviours is always better than punishments or isolation once they occur. Failure to provide such training may mean ‘back-sliding’, or other and possibly worse methods being used.

Because of their different neurology, autistic students require different management strategies even to other special needs students. Frequently suffering from sensory or social overload, they need a quiet, separate space to rest and recuperate.

There is a difference between seclusion and the use of such a respite room, sometimes called a ‘low sensory room’ or ‘comfort zone’. In the latter, going there is at the student’s own instigation, or at the suggestion of a teacher who recognises when it’s needed. The student is never, ever forced to go, and never locked in, unable to leave even when they are ready.

Such a resource, and training for teachers and students in how to use it properly, is an essential if negative practises such as seclusion are to be truly eliminated.

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The Autistic Collective is a group of autistic advocates who have joined together in order to become more effective in our advocacy. Our website can be found at www.autisticcollectivenz.org

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