N.B. child and youth advocate raises alarm about use of seclusion rooms in schools

New Brunswick’s child and youth advocate says seclusion rooms — small, windowless areas where teachers can place children if they misbehave — should be used only as a last resort.

New Brunswick’s child and youth advocate says seclusion rooms — small, windowless areas where teachers can place children if they misbehave — should be used only as a last resort to ensure safety.

In a report tabled today, Kelly Lamrock raises concerns about how seclusion rooms have become an accepted practice but there is little data on how frequently they are used and where.

He says the practice of sending students to seclusion rooms as early as kindergarten occurs without adequate oversight.

He says guidelines are not being followed consistently and the use of the rooms could violate the students’ human rights.

Some jurisdictions in Canada and the United States have moved to regulate or ban seclusion rooms, and Lamrock says New Brunswick should legislate to define when their use is acceptable.

The advocate is also calling for mandatory data collection and public reporting on the frequency of the use of seclusion rooms, as well as involvement of psychologists to assess the effect of the practice.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2024.