The ‘Hope instead of Handcuffs’ campaign

Most organisations that transport looked after children have a policy of only handcuffing or restraining young people in exceptional circumstances. Yet many of these organisations also train their staff incontrol and restraint techniques including head control and handcuffing.

If an innocent child who is deemed “high-risk” needs to be transported some where such as to a carehome or to hospital, they are too often automatically put in handcuffs or in caged vehicles similar to police vans. But a child does not even need to be considered “high-risk” to be put in handcuffs: any child who displays signs of distress risks beings ubject tosome formof restraint.

Ros spoke to campaigner Emily Aklan.