to be really upset reading the way kids have been treated in custody?

[BitOfFun]

Here

I have a child with special needs, who will doubtless never be in this situation, but it rips my heart out to think that there exist manuals in this day and age for "restraint" which include some of these measures. I'm actually pretty gutted to see that this sort of thing goes on anymore.

Truffles - agreed.

Only just come back to this, and have to reply immediately to londonone: I have a lot of experience of handling a strong older child who sometimes needs safe restraint actually. And I could never in my life use the sort of practices that article referred to. How disgusting of you to attempt to justify them.

Manda - yes, I have had first hand accounts of how excellent the restraint training is. I would love to go on for the de-escalation techniques and so on. But I do not want to be "qualified to physically manhandle a child", because that is not something I am prepared to do under any circumstances.

If children are fighting I shout and they separate: it's always worked so far. I am happy to stand between two children who want to fight. But I do not personally want to physically restrain a child, and in my role it really shouldn't be necessary.

Most of us are talking about restraint in different circumstances than the article mentions, though. It's horrifying that prisons are using 'techniques' that can cause permanent blindness or asphyxiation and that have killed at least two children.

There is a massive difference between safe restrait and cruel and degrading abuse.

This article made me feel sick as well. I don't see that 12 year olds need to be jabbed in the face or groin. Ever.

ApocalypseCheese - your comment about your son wanting to be restrained sometimes was interesting. Unrelated to the thread so apologies but - have you read about or seen the film about Temple Grandin? The amazing autistic woman who designed slaughterhouses in the US - anyway, she also designed a kind of restraining machine thing for herself, as it made her feel secure when she was getting panicky.

I had to do some restraint and de-escalation training when I worked with people with dementia.

Thankfully never had to use it at any point.

However, we're surely not talking here about children with SN or obnoxcious fighting teenagers are we? I don't know how different it would be working with teenagers who have killed (or attempted to kill) someone, and would try and do it again - perhaps on me.....

I'm sort of on the fence I think as it sounds bloody awful, but I've never been there, and I've never been in situation where de-escalation technniques and other "non-phsyical" techniques haven't/woildn't work,

Although I do know that trying to reason/talk to someone having a pyschotic episode and intent on killing you during it is pointless.........and had I been able use release methods I would have done.

I do think the titel of the article is a little misleading though as it's clear reading it that these aren't "punishments", but used in restraint and self defence.

It's very that 2 young people have been killed using some of these techniques........but I can't help but wonder if anyone else would have died during the 1776 uses of restrain in the one year mention if they hadn't been restrained.

starkadder I have met temple grandin at a conference, she blew me away. An amazing woman.

although having said all that this article also says that the use of physical restraint is disproportionate

Although - slightly off topic- surely the ratio for (potentially violent) young offenders can't be acceptable a 1 adult per 20 young people??????

Kerry, abuse of power will happen regardless, unfortunately. This training doesn't exist to give staff a license to abuse children. It exists to allow staff to stop a potentially life threatening situation.

Training stresses the importance of these specific techiques being used only when there is immediate threat to life. It should also stress the importance of using only the minimum force needed. No one suggested using all the techniques together. They are a suggestion of several different techniques that can be used if needed. One used on it's own may well be enough to stop the teen for long enough to escape and get more help.

Also, the article says that restraint was used 1776 times. It doesn't state how many of these restraints utilised pain compliance techiniques.

Apocalypse Cheese - have you???? Wow!! I am quite over excited about that. I had heard of her vaguely but did not know much about her; then saw the film on a plane, not really knowing what it was, and was really moved by it - sobbing my eyes out and so impressed. Was on the flight on my own, for work, and had been watching Flight of the Conchords before that and laughing out loud, so really looked like a nutter.

Wow, how exciting.

Sorry for hijack...

Yep, i've also met Ros Blackburn at an Autism conference in Blackpool.