Police look into use of ‘safe room’ at school

Police are investigating a complaint about a pupil being isolated in a ‘‘safe room’’ at an Invercargill special school which a Ministry of Education report described as ‘‘dark and grimy’’ and ‘‘not pleasant’’.

However, Ruru Specialist School maintains safety of students was at all times the highest priority, and two parents with children at the school have spoken out in support of the school.

Confirmation of the investigation comes as the Ministry of Education is preparing guidelines to cover seclusion and physical restraint, saying seclusion is a last resort, where students whose behaviour is a risk to themselves or others are placed alone in a room.

Ministry of Education acting deputy secretary, sector enablement and support Susan Howan said the ministry received a complaint from a parent about the use of a ‘‘safe room’’ at Ruru Specialist School in Invercargill on December 5, 2014. The complaint was ‘‘about a pupil who was put in a ‘safe room’ for a short period following a period of challenging behaviour.’’

After senior managers from the ministry visited the school and advised the principal of the complaint on December 10, 2014, the school immediately stopped using the safe room, she said.

On December 23, 2014, the ministry commissioned an independent investigator to look into the complaint, and her report was received on February 27, 2015.

The report found that the child had been placed in the safe room three times in 2011, for a total of 17 minutes, Howan said.

‘‘We understand the door to the room was left open at all times.

‘‘However the report also found that the room, which measured 3.3 metres high by 1.3m by 1.8m, was ‘ dark and grimy’ and ‘ not pleasant’, and that children placed in it were likely to feel as though they had been punished.’’

The report found the school ‘‘fell short in fulfilling its obligation to investigate the parent’s complaint,’’ and ruled that the ‘‘safe room’’ was inadequate, Howan said.

The report does not say how long the safe room had been in use.

While the school had some policies in relation to use of the room, the report found they were not robust enough and recommended the board review them, she said.

The report made recommendations which included that the safe room be closed, and for the board of trustees to consider ‘‘less restrictive options’’ to manage behaviour, she said.

The board developed an action plan and all the recommendations were being carried out. The ministry was not investigating the matter further, but continued to monitor the school, Howan said.

A police spokesperson on Thursday confirmed they were investigating a complaint about the use of a ‘‘seclusion room’’ at the school but would not comment further.

Ruru Specialist School board of trustees chairperson Robyn Clutterbuck said the board was disappointed the matter had been made public.

‘‘We have endeavoured to engage constructively with the parents since they made their complaint in November 2014 but, sadly, this has not been possible.’’

The board had co-operated with all agencies involved since the complaint was made, she said.

‘‘We believe that our staff have conducted themselves in a professional and responsible manner with the best interests and safety of students, families and communities being their priority.’’

The board believed the matter was closed, but would co-operate fully with any further investigations, Clutterbuck said.

The parents who laid the complaint declined to comment.