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Catalonia Opens Probes Into Alleged Abuse at Blanes Special-Needs School

Antifraud authorities granted protected status to the whistleblowing teachers and may send corroborated crimes to prosecutors.

Overview

  • Education officials opened an informational inquiry into the Ventijol center after teachers reported mistreatment of nonverbal children with severe autism.
  • An initial inspection recorded contradictory accounts, no conduct has been proven, management changes were ordered, and the case remains open.
  • The Antifraud Office launched a parallel probe, separated from school inspection, conferred whistleblower protections, and could refer the case to the Fiscalía.
  • Teachers and union sources describe verbal and physical aggression, forced feeding, pain‑point pressure, and children tied to chairs without family authorization, with images later removed from the school website.
  • The department says its USAV unit is tracking the case, Mossos d'Esquadra report no active investigation, and earlier outreach to other agencies was described as unhelpful by complainants.