State criticised for not keeping track of restraint used on students

TASMANIA’S Education Department does not report the use of restrictive practices on students, raising questions about a lack of transparency and accountability.

During a budget estimates hearing two weeks ago, Education Minister Sarah Courtney was asked a question about the use of restraint in public schools, which she took on notice. In the since published answer, it was revealed that the department does not “capture data at a system-wide level in relation to restraint”, but that a new Restrictive Practice Policy had been developed this year and would be implemented “in the coming months”.

Restrictive practices can include confining a student to a particular space and preventing them from leaving, or even using physical restraints.

Disability education advocate Kristen Desmond said it was “hugely disappointing” that mandatory reporting wasn’t already in place for the use of restraint on students with behavioural issues.

“At the moment, there are restrictive practices happening in schools, (but) there is no public-facing policy and there are no reporting mechanisms to say how often and how widely and whether it’s being used appropriately,” she said.

“I would argue that you don’t need to use it at all, but if it’s going to be used, I would like to understand exactly how that happens. Because the majority of those restrictive practices will be occurring on students with a disability.

“If my child was in a school and they had a restrictive practice used on them, I would want to know about it. And I’d want to make sure that the policy said that I had absolutely every right to know about it and that it was mandatory that I was told.”

Ms Desmond said the department’s definition of restrictive practices wasn’t publicly available, which complicated the matter further.

“We need to have a conversation about it and we need accountability and transparency,” she said. “And it’s not OK that we’re still months away from seeing it. Because I can guarantee you that these practices are being used now.”

A department spokeswoman said guidelines for “protective practices for staff” were available to teaching and support staff.

“The department has more recently been developing revised Restrictive Practice Policy and Procedure guidelines, to provide schools with clarity in relation to student and staff safety when using restrictive practices,” she said.

“There will be a requirement to report when restrictive practices are used as outlined in the Restrictive Practices Procedure,” she said.

The policy will be published on the department’s website before the beginning of term 4 this year.