New Health Policy Restricts Children From Being Shut Alone in a Room, Prohibit From Leaving

New Health Policy restrictive practices restraint and seclusion solitary seclusion Department of Health Northern Ireland Paris Hilton Harry's Law physical or mechanical restraint Psychological measures depriving an individual of his/her choice withholding food or drink risk patients into having a trauma

By Jo Anne Hubert , Parent Herald Mar 23, 07:20 am

According to a newly-published departmental policy, adults are restricted from restraining and secluding children and young people alone in a room and preventing them from leaving.

The "Regional Policy on the use of Restrictive Practices in Health and Social Care Settings" is the most recent health policy from Northern Ireland's Department of Health on restrictive practices, restraint, and seclusion.

It applies to all health and social care staff, institutions, and settings across the country and the lifespan of children, young people, adults, and older people.

However, the policy emphasized that children and young people should "never be subject to seclusion," especially since, based on worldwide evidence, there has been no definitive findings or conclusion that utilizing seclusion has a therapeutic benefit. The policy continued seclusion is seen as "punitive and can cause psychological harm."

Protect human rights

The policy, which was published Monday, describes restrictive interventions as acts that "limit a person's movement, day-to-day activity or function."

It also includes physical or mechanical restraint, where an individual's body part is restrained or prevented from moving. Psychological measures such as depriving an individual of their choice or withholding food or drink are also included.

Conversely, seclusion is defined as confining an individual in a room or an area where the free exit is prohibited.

The Department of Health policy explained that while restrictive practice or seclusion can be "necessary" in some incidents, these treatments should only be utilized as a "last resort," BBC News reported.

"It is accepted that restrictive practice must sometimes take place in health and social care settings. However, the emphasis should always be on elimination of the use of restrictive practices, therefore we must ensure that their use is minimised and only used when absolutely needed. Most importantly, at all times, we must consider the best interests of the person subject to the restrictive practices and how their human rights can be protected," Permanent Secretary Peter May expressed.

Moreover, the policy stressed how restraint and seclusion could risk patients from having trauma, which can hinder them instead of lead them to heal and recover.

It also should not be used for anything related to disability.

Lastly, the policy prohibits its use for disciplining children and young people, to inflict shame or pain, or as an alternative for the "provision of proper, person-centred care."

Former Health Minister Robin Swann approved the new policy after completing a public consultation exercise.

Similar upcoming law in the US

Media personality and socialite Paris Hilton has openly shown her support to parents in Northern Ireland who call for the government to strengthen the school's restraint and seclusion law.

In a tweet she made last February 24, she tagged Chris Lyttle and the Northern Ireland Assembly to pass Harry's Law to provide "meaningful protections" to students, especially children with disabilities.

The Harry's Law, if passed, will instruct schools to compulsorily report to parents and the Education Authority any incident where they need to restrain or isolate a child.

Further, Hilton is also working with a group of congressional Democrats to create new regulations to stop the abuse of kids in U.S. facilities for troubled teens.

The businesswoman and new mother shared that this issue is close to her heart because she was also placed in restraints and seclusion during her teenage years at a boarding school in the U.S. and other youth facilities.

In an interview, she told NBC News Wednesday that she experienced being "choked, slapped, spied on while showering and deprived of sleep" during her stay at those facilities.

She further stressed that there are a thousand types of schools like what she had attended, with nearly 200,000 kids and teens put in these places every year, where they are being abused "physically, emotionally, verbally, psychologically and sexually."