I wish to advise the Deputy that the well-being and safety of children should be at the centre of all policy and practices in schools.
Many schools withdraw pupils occasionally from the main classroom for short periods of time in order to manage pupil behaviour or to provide care support and assistance with issues such as dressing, cleaning or medical supervision. Schools should supervise and support children who are distressed or out of control until they have recovered and are able to re-engage in the classroom.
The Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the pupils in their school and is required to prepare a code of behaviour in accordance with Section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.
Section 23 (4) of the Act also states that the principal of a recognised school shall, before registering a child as a student at that school, provide the parents of such child with a copy of the code of behaviour in respect of the school. No parent should therefore be unaware of the behavioural strategies which are being employed by schools.
Where a parent or any other person has concerns about the care or safety of a child they should report these concerns to the Board of Management of the school, or may report the matter as a child protection concern to the HSE or to my Department.
I have asked the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to prepare Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. As part of the process to develop this policy advice, the NCSE will consider the issue of the use of withdrawal/isolation rooms in schools for children with autism.
