Education chiefs build 'cage' for autistic boy

[MrMetroid]

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-st...-build-cage-for-autistic-boy-115875-22686911/

Parents of an autistic teenager were horrified when education chiefs built him a safe play area that looked like a cage.



The 18-year-old's mum and dad had raised £500 for the space as his condition makes it hard for him to mix.



They were hoping for decking and outside play equipment but were confronted with a dog run just a few feet wide.



The couple, whose son hasn't played outside at school for five years, were appalled by the jail-like structure.



Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan wants a probe into how the cage - made of old barriers and building site fences - could have been built.



He said: I believe that 'cage' is a reasonable description, and that this represents a failure on the part of the council to consider this young man's needs.



Mr Allan said the incident has caused very understandable offence to the family. He added: It raises questions about the provision in the Western Isles for children in a similar situation in future.



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I have raised this matter with the council by letter and await a response.



He said the parents were full of praise for the teachers but just wanted their son to be able to play outside.



Western Isles councillor Norman MacDonald said: I think it is very clear to us that the provision put in place was entirely inappropriate. I wish to apologise unreservedly on behalf of the council to the family of the boy involved.



He said the enclosure at the Nicolson Institute in Stornoway, Lewis, has now been demolished and would be replaced. A communications mix-up between staff and suppliers was to blame, he said.



AUTISM



Is a lifelong developmental disability. More than 500,000 people in the UK have an autism spectrum disorder - that's around one in 100 people.

I'm no expert on this sort of thing (as I don't have Autism) but surely if someone has a problem where they aren't that good socially surely they should be doing some social activities or something like that

 

[The Dragon Master]

It depends how bad the Autism is. My science teacher had a nephew that had really bad autism. He had to have the same sandwich's cut into triangles everyday. His meals had to be on the same time each day and consisting of the same food. His daily routine couldn't be altered or changed in anyway or he would become hysterical and would cry for hours. He disliked visitors as well.



But the fact that they built a cage for the poor lad is beyond unreasonable.

 

[Evil Eye]

Pocketing the money and kicking the kid out of the door (figuratively speaking of course) I could understand... but a cage?

 

[Rapunzel]

It depends how bad the Autism is. My science teacher had a nephew that had really bad autism. He had to have the same sandwich's cut into triangles everyday. His meals had to be on the same time each day and consisting of the same food. His daily routine couldn't be altered or changed in anyway or he would become hysterical and would cry for hours. He disliked visitors as well.

That sounds like classic Aspergers Syndrome, which is on the autism spectrum.



We have kids with ADD, ADHD, PDA, Aspergers, different areas of a very wide autistic range. Some are violent. They will bite, kick, scratch, hit, punch, throw tables and chairs at you and kick the sh** out of other kids. They can be difficult to work with. We don't lock them in cages. We calm the situation down. Give them time out in a safe room with cushions and pillows and no hard surfaces where they can vent their frustrations and calm down whilst being in the safe care of a staff member. Locking someone in a cage will just turn them feral, like a caged animal, surely.



This is the typical solution of someone in authority who has no idea of a given situation or the best way to treat it and, rather than ask the parents what their best solution would be, the authorities have stormed ahead with their own unadvised and unacceptable solution because they think they are always right!

 

[The Dragon Master]

There's an update on this story.



They removed the cage: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-11664558

 

[Jazzy]

I'm glad the cage has been removed. I'm wondering how long the boy used that cage before his parents saw it. Also wondering what happened to the money these parents raised to have a safe play area built for their son.

 

[StevenF50]

That is disgusting, that should be a disability hate crime for doing something so cruel. I feel sorry for the kid and hope he will have a better play area soon.