Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: On seclusion rooms

38 Responses

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  • Sacha, in reply to Tom Johnson,

    the reluctance of the individual to be secluded

    imprisoned, perhaps

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Paul Gibson, Disability Rights Commissioner. http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/316489/students'-safety-at-seclusion-room-schools-questioned
    Worrying that a suspect school is being secretive about all this which reflects badly on the Principal and board. Facebook parents' groups have examples of it happening in schools across the country. The Principal is often the one putting the child in the seclusion room, so no wonder they want to keep it quiet.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • linger, in reply to Sacha,

    Don’t even need to re-cast it – what typically follows “secluded” is bad enough. Trawl through the top hits for “took him to a secluded spot” and there’s violent assault, murder, or rape on almost every page. (The same search with “her” yields much the same results.)

    Tokyo • Since Apr 2007 • 1944 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    Boom! We crossed in the ether. (You can delete mine....as long as it goes up somewhere, I'm content. :-) )

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Great minds :)

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    Great minds :)

    Heh!

    My significant other was whining about having to listen to constant doom and gloom on Natrad this morning while he was having his obligatory couple of hours on his back before being folded into his wheelchair for the day.

    "Why didn't they pick up the story about the kid in Otorohanga, and the school that is getting it right?"

    We sent an email.

    Seriously though...if the stories about how it can work don't get as much airtime as the stories about failures, some may perceive the problem as being insurmountable.

    And give up trying.

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Parata twisting and turning over what solitary confinement rooms are called, and John Campbell simply isn't having it. Outstanding.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    And another earlier complaint about solitary confinement to Parata.

    Ms Flight says she's furious. "When I heard it I said, 'she's lying'. My reaction is anger, sadness and frustration."

    1 NEWS asked the minister if she recalled sending the letter, she said she didn't. "What I meant was in respect of the Miramar Central event that that was the first I'd heard of it."

    The minister said the number of seclusion rooms being used at schools across New Zealand is "very few".

    Madam seems way too comfortable about the harm she has caused by sitting on her hands and convening a group to write some guidelines without actually stopping the practice right away.

    Next year is too long to be rid of this nasty piece of work. I'm also grateful I've never had to deal with the Ministry's Katrina Casey.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to ,

    Some do. Depends on lots of things.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Sacha,

    sitting on her hands and convening a group

    It's late, and brain read "convening" as "covening"...and in popped, almost appropriately, this...


    By the pricking of my thumbs...

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Bart Janssen,

    I also had the thought that maybe "seclusion rooms" were an attempt to help kids who were struggling with a noisy stressful environment.

    But there are two key questions that really weren't addressed in most of the reporting -
    Intent and Consent.

    What was the intent, was it to calm and help the child or was it to punish? It seems in some cases the room has become a punishment device and you have to wonder if the teachers using it in that manner should be teaching.

    And was (informed) consent given by the parent and importantly from the child? It doesn't seem likely in some of the cases.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report Reply

  • Brent Jackson,

    Listening to the radio the other day, it was obvious that most people still do not get it. A seclusion room could be useful for a child to get away, and have some quiet time (maybe the school library could be used for this). To my mind, the key question is "Was the child free to leave the room and return to class of their own volition ?". If so, then the room was probably being used properly. If the child was locked in, then the room was probably not being used properly.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 620 posts Report Reply

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