Scotland the first UK nation to pass law on restraint and seclusion in schools

Today, the Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill, known as Calum’s Law, was passed into law in the Scottish Parliament.

This landmark legislation will put guidance on the use of restraint and seclusion in schools on a statutory footing – the first of the UK nations to do so.

Introduced last year by Daniel Johnson MSP, the Bill attracted cross-party support for its improved protections focused on guidance for education providers, duty to inform parents/carers, duty to record and report and quality assurance of training providers.

The RRN has campaigned for statutory guidance in schools for many years and are delighted to see this commitment to greater protections for children and young people’s rights.

Ben Higgins, RRN CEO said:

“Today’s vote is a vital step forward in enacting better protections for the rights of children and young people and to eliminating the misuse of restraint. The development of the associated statutory guidance will be key to upholding the intentions of the Bill, and ensuring its implementation is effective.

We congratulate our Trustee, Beth Morrison, her son Calum, and colleague, Kate Sanger, for their steadfast campaigning on this issue over the past fourteen years. They have been the driving force behind Calum’s Law, knowing firsthand the trauma caused by restraint within schools. Their commitment to bringing about change based on the terrible experiences of their children is inspiring.”

The RRN hopes that this legislation sets a powerful precedent, inspiring other UK nations to enact similar statutory protections.