Children in Scotland have responded to the latest round of consultation on the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill.
The response, which references the work of Enquire, reflects on our comments made on the original proposals for the Bill as part of the consultation process in September 2023.
We previously made clear our support for the aspirations of the Bill but asked for more clarity on both the content and impact of new legislation, clear and accessible routes for families to escalate concerns, clearer routes for reporting to parents or carers and more training for school staff. Read our previous news piece and consultation here.
Now, as the Bill makes its journey through Parliament, we reflect on how these comments, and action taken since, have informed development of the Bill and what we believe needs to happen next.
Training, support and sensitivity
Whilst parents, carers and professionals have told us that non-statutory guidance introduced in November 2024 has proven helpful in navigating some of the challenges relating to the use of restraint and seclusion in schools, we continue to hear about the negative impact of its use particularly when used often, inappropriately and without due process.
We continue to support the aspirations of the proposed Bill with many of our previous concerns having now been addressed. However, the Bill and future guidance could go further still. Specifically, we highlight the need for:
- Simplified routes to redress for parents, carers and young people
- Support and aftercare to continue after the school day along with the promotion of relational-based communications
- Future guidance to consider and outline steps for staff to employ a trauma-informed approach to reporting
- Language used when sharing any data publicly to be sensitive and considered in order to minimise misinterpretation
- Mandatory training for teachers and pupil support staff.
The Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill was introduced to the Scottish Parliament by Daniel Johnson MSP on 17 March, 2025. It is currently under consideration by the Education, Children and Young People Committee.