Special School: Safeguarding Concerns -Calming/Quiet Rooms

Reference: 23-24486

Date response sent: 26/02/2024

Details of enquiry

1. Does your school use so-called ‘calming rooms’?

• These are sometimes referred to by other names including ‘secure’, ‘sensory’ and ‘quiet’ rooms but referred to here as rooms within a special school where children are left, however briefly, in isolation in the room.
• If a room is used where children are not left on their own, please exclude it from your response and mark it as a ‘nil return’. It is appreciated that calming rooms can be an important facility in meeting the needs of children.

2. Are children ever locked in these rooms?
3. Are cameras used in these rooms?

• If so, please can you state what happens to the footage?

4. Please list all safeguarding incidents which have occurred in special school calming/secure/sensory/quiet rooms since January 1st 2019.

a. Please detail when the incidents occurred, a description of what was alleged to have occurred, the role of the person who reported it, any action taken in response and any outcomes.

b. Please specify if any of these incidents have led to a section 47 safeguarding referral or inquiry, criminal charge or complex abuse investigation within the period.

Response sent

1. Does your school use so-called ‘calming rooms’?

Yes, Quiet Room.  Child is given choice of being alone in the room, or accompanied by a teacher

2. Are children ever locked in these rooms?

No.  There are no locks on a quiet room door.  It is our policy not to have locks on any school rooms.

3. Are cameras used in these rooms?

Yes, cameras are used for live feed only.  The footage is not recorded, and therefore not stored.

4. Please list all safeguarding incidents which have occurred in special school calming/secure/sensory/quiet rooms since January 1st 2019.

No quiet room safeguarding incidents have occurred our since January 2019.