Eggen issues order to ban seclusion rooms in Alberta schools

Education Minister David Eggenhas issued a ministerial order banning the use of seclusion rooms in Alberta schools starting Sept. 1.

School boards will be required report all existing rooms to the province.Alberta Education will do inspections and ensure schools are complying with the order.

However, Eggen is allowing schools to apply for an exemptionon a case-by-case basis only if the parents of the child support it.

"It's important to ensure that you're building an individual plan that agrees with all parties," he said at a news conference in Edmonton Friday.

Eggen's ministerial order defines "seclusion room" as a room or structure used for"involuntary confinement or isolation of a student" where the student can't get out without help from another person.

The province's study of seclusion roomsfound that schools were not using them in a consistent manner, Eggensaid.

He wants to train teachers on de-escalation techniques so seclusion rooms don't have to be used.

"Certainly the safety of students, of teachers, of support staff, will not be compromised in this situation," he said. "We will look for ways by which we can build plans that can ensure the safety of everyone."

Excited, hopeful and grateful

A review was launched after a Sherwood Park couple sued Elk Island Public Schools. They say their 12-year-old autistic son was found naked and covered in his own feces when he was locked in a seclusion room in September 2015.

Marcy Oakes, the boy's mother, said she is excited, hopeful and grateful that Eggenis enacting a ban.

"The positive that we needed to come out of the really terrible stuff that we went through has happened," she said.

However, Oakes thinks her lawsuit, which is still before the courts,pushed the government to take action.

"I believe that they needed to be pushed," she said. "If we didn't stand up and come public and basically take an extremely private, personal thing and share it, none of this would be happening."

Oakes plans to watch the situation to ensure it doesn't become an empty election promise from the NDP or ignored if a new party comes into power.

Inclusion Alberta, an advocacy group for people with disabilities, hadcalled for a ban. The group is pleased with Eggen's ministerial order but wary about his decision to allow exemptions.

"Seclusion should never be part of a planned programmatic approach, so we need to know what criteria will be used for determining a child can still be placed in seclusion," said Inclusion Alberta CEO Trish Bowman.

"We know parents can be coerced into agreeing to these practices in order to keep their child in school and this cannot be allowed to continue, nor should requesting seclusion be reason in and of itself for an exemption. We will continue to advocate to ensure the safety of all children."

Bowman said the groupwants the province to track the number of exemptions that are granted. Inclusion Alberta also wantsmore information about how they will be monitored and how school districts will be held accountable, she said.

Edmonton Public Schools said seclusion rooms are used as a last-resort intervention for students whose behaviour becomes a danger to themselves, other students or staff.

The board said the rooms give students a chance to regain control of their emotions and actions in a safe environment.

• Seclusion rooms to be banned in Alberta by start of next school year
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