The Systemic Failings in Schools

Recent reports, including the BBC Panorama documentary "Undercover: School Cruelty in the Classroom", have once again highlighted the urgent need to address the issue of abuse in schools. While shocking incidents make headlines, the underlying problems are systemic and pervasive. These issues arise from inadequate employment vetting and safeguarding measures, as well as from problematic environments, practices, and support systems for both staff and pupils.

The documentary reveals that incentives to establish independent special schools often prioritise financial gain over pupil welfare. This misalignment can lead to the hiring of unqualified staff, the implementation of harmful practices, and the neglect of essential resources and support systems. The drive for profit can overshadow the fundamental goal of providing a safe and supportive learning environment for vulnerable children, exacerbating the systemic issues within these institutions.

A Personal Encounter with Troubling Practices

A few years ago, I was consulted on the development of new spaces in a school. During a tour, I was introduced to what were called "calming rooms," stark, windowless boxes designed to house severely agitated students for their safety and that of others. These rooms lacked ventilation and any semblance of comfort, conditions that could only amplify a student's anxiety and increase the potential for danger. When I voiced my concerns, the educator dismissively replied, "You don't know our kids."

However, I am deeply familiar with these children through my early work in care settings and through my partner's work over the past 20+ years in a children's home catering to children and young people in crisis. Many of these children are traumatised and require emergency support. They are often confused, scared, and unable to communicate their needs effectively. Behaviours such as lashing out or throwing things are, in reality, forms of communication.

The Root of the Problem: Communication and Support

The real issue lies not in the intentions of educators but in the practices and culture within which they operate. There is a dire need for strategies that prioritise communication and understanding.

We must ask whether the specific sensory, attentional, and physical needs of a student can be met by the school. Do we have the right facilities and trained personnel to support pupils with complex needs?

No educator in a special school intends to harm their pupils. However, harmful practices become normalised due to systemic failures. When stories of abuse emerge, they are not isolated incidents but part of a broader, everyday reality in thousands of schools. These practices persist not out of malice but due to environments and systems that are ill-equipped to support students with complex communication needs, often manifested as violence.

Moving Forward: Strategies for Change

To prevent such abuses, we need to rethink our approach to special education:

1. Prioritise Communication

Develop intervention strategies that focus on robust, daily communication. Understanding that behaviours are a form of communication is crucial in addressing the needs of these students. This includes:

• Low-tech and high-tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) methods.
• Signing and other non-verbal communication methods.

2. Create Supportive Environments

Design calming and supportive spaces for students to regulate their emotions, rather than confining them to stark, isolating rooms. These spaces should be developed with input from specialists who understand the sensory and emotional needs of children with complex conditions.

3. Provide Adequate Training and Resources

Ensure that educators are well-trained and schools are adequately resourced to meet the needs of their students. Staff should be equipped to engage with students in crisis, not through isolation or force but through presence and understanding.

4. Foster a Cultural Shift

Encourage schools to adopt a culture that recognises and addresses the systemic issues allowing abusive practices to persist. This includes ongoing professional development and a commitment to evolving best practices.

Accountability for Companies Providing Calming Rooms

There is also a significant onus of responsibility on companies that provide and install these calming rooms. These companies must develop their understanding of the needs of special education environments and advise schools against replicating harmful practices. Any company padding out a room like this and professing to be experts, without considering the broader implications and needs of the students, is at best a charlatan.

Conclusion: A Personal Call for Change

The tragedies highlighted in recent news stories should serve as a wake-up call to urgently reform the systems that support our most vulnerable pupils. My visit to a school several years ago, where I witnessed "calming rooms" being used as stark, windowless spaces for isolating agitated students, remains a stark reminder of how systemic failures enable harmful practices to persist.

For further reading on related incidents and the necessary reforms, you can explore this BBC News article, which details the abuse that played out in the very rooms I was shown during my visit.

Only through transformative change can we ensure that schools become places of safety, compassion, and understanding, providing the support and dignity these children deserve.