Amid growing concerns over excessive use of restraint, seclusion, and forced injections in state care and education, campaigners including MSP Katy Clark urge the Scottish Government to introduce comprehensive legislation regulating these practices uniformly across all settings.
Campaigners in Scotland have intensified calls for a unified legislative framework to regulate the use of restraint, seclusion, and forced injections in all state care and education settings. The appeal arises amid growing concerns about the frequent and sometimes excessive use of these practices, which can lead to severe physical and psychological trauma.
Recent revelations highlighted on The Alliance website have exposed the widespread overuse of restraint and forced injections, particularly within adolescent inpatient psychiatric units. These reports have amplified the urgency among advocates to implement stricter oversight and clear legal standards governing such interventions.
Katy Clark MSP has been at the forefront of this campaign, submitting a motion in the Scottish Parliament condemning the reported actions. Alongside key organisations—including the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, the Scottish Human Rights Commission, The Promise Scotland, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission—Ms Clark has urged the Scottish Government to enact a statutory framework that uniformly regulates restraint and seclusion practices across all state care and education settings. She also emphasised the importance of including mandatory reporting provisions concerning the overuse of restraint within any new legislation.
Responding to these concerns, Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, acknowledged the severity of the issues raised. She described the behaviour documented as “completely and wholly unacceptable” and assured that the government would take all necessary steps to prevent such occurrences in the future. Ms Todd stressed the imperative that all young people requiring inpatient mental health care have access to safe and high-quality treatment that respects their human rights and fosters recovery.
Reflecting on the findings, Ms Todd remarked: “What I found so disturbing about the documentary was the culture that was depicted. By any standards, the behaviour of some staff during the time covered fell far below basic standards of decency and compassion or what we all expect of healthcare professionals.”
This heightened scrutiny and political momentum point towards forthcoming legislative measures aimed at standardising and tightening the regulation of restraint and related practices in Scotland’s state care and education systems.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.parliament.scot/-/media/files/legislation/bills/s6-bills/restraint-and-seclusion-in-schools-scotland-bill/financial-memorandum.pdf – This document relates to the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill, which aims to minimize the use of restraint and seclusion in schools by mandating detailed guidance and training for staff. It highlights the need for recording incidents to better understand where improvements are necessary.
- https://www.gov.scot/publications/included-engaged-involved-part-3-relationships-rights-based-approach-physical-intervention-schools/pages/7/ – The Scottish Government guidance emphasizes a rights-based approach to physical intervention in schools, focusing on relationships and humane treatment. This aligns with efforts to improve oversight and standards in education settings.
- https://www.cypcs.org.uk/news-and-stories/statement-commissioner-supports-bill-on-restraint-and-seclusion/ – The Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland supports legislation aimed at regulating restraint and seclusion, echoing broader calls for a unified framework across state care and education.
- https://www.togetherscotland.org.uk/media/1613/restraintpdf.pdf – This report underscores concerns about the use of restraint, advocating for its abolition in non-essential contexts and highlighting the need for clear legal standards to protect children’s rights.
- https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/s6/restraint-and-seclusion-in-schools-scotland-bill – The Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill is part of a broader push to regulate restraint practices in Scotland. It emphasizes training, guidance, and parental notification to minimize the use of such techniques.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative appears recent, as it references ongoing political discussions and recent revelations, but lacks specific dates for recent events.
Quotes check
Score:
5
Notes:
Direct quotes are provided, but the earliest known reference could not be identified. Quotes are likely from recent statements but lack clear sources.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from reputable discussions involving government officials and human rights organizations, indicating reliability. However, the exact source of the report is not specified.
Plausability check
Score:
8
Notes:
Claims are plausible given the context of ongoing debates on regulation and human rights. The involvement of prominent figures and organizations supports the narrative’s likelihood.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative discusses current political efforts in Scotland, but lacks specific dates and direct sources for quotes. It involves reputable participants, suggesting plausibility, but further verification is needed for complete credibility.
