RNZ News

Children’s Commissioner Dr Claire Achmad has released a report on the use of seclusion in Oranga Tamariki facilities, calling for an urgent review of its use.

Dr Achmad says the report found that seclusion was used at Hikitia Te Wairua facility, where 11 children were held in seclusion. She calls it “severe deprivation of liberty” and says no young person should ever be subjected to it.

The report also found that the team at Hikitia Te Wairua did not have the specialist capabilities to deal with complex behaviours, leading to seclusion being used.

Dr Achmad wants to see a whole system approach to eliminate seclusion in places where children are deprived of their liberty.

“We need to keep central here the fact that no young person should be held in seclusion at any time,” she said. “It goes against their human rights – the UN has been very clear.”

The report recommends an urgent review of the use of seclusion, a review of the use of adult in-patient wards for mokopuna, and a plan to reduce their use for children under 18 years old.

Dr Achmad also wants staff to be given comprehensive training and for therapeutic de-escalation areas to be created for mokopuna.

Since March this year, no children or young people have been held in seclusion at the Hikitia Te Wairua facility, Dr Achmad said. “I want to see them continue to build on that progress.”

Dr Claire Achmad is calling for a whole of system approach so children and young people are safe.

What changes does the report call for?

The report’s 12 recommendations included an urgent review of the use of seclusion at Hikitia Te Wairua, with the aim of reducing and eliminating its use. It also recommended a therapeutic de-escalation area be created for mokopuna, to help them self-soothe and regulate in an environment conducive to their needs.

Staff must be given comprehensive training, according to the report. And a plan to reduce the use of adult in-patient wards for children under 18 years old is also recommended.

The government agencies involved have accepted all of the report’s recommendations that they are being progressed, Dr Achmad said.

However, she says more needs to be done to ensure that no young person is ever subjected to seclusion.