Overview

• CCTV footage from Whitefield School in London shows autistic children being physically restrained, confined in padded 'calming rooms,' and left in distress between 2014 and 2017.
• About 40 children with learning disabilities and severe mental disorders were subjected to prolonged isolation, often without food or drink, leading to self-harm and psychological trauma.
• A police investigation reviewed 500 hours of footage but concluded without charges, while parents and experts criticized the lack of accountability and systemic failures.
• The Flourish Trust, which now manages the school, claims significant reforms have been made since the incidents, including the discontinuation of calming rooms in 2017.
• The Children’s Commissioner and safeguarding experts are urging a review of restraint and seclusion practices in schools, with the government considering updates to existing guidance.