The Howard League for Penal Reform said Gareth Myatt's death in April (Children Now, News, 28 April-4 May), when he was being restrained by three staff, had prompted its inquiry, which it launched yesterday (7 September).
The charity also released figures showing that physical restraint in commercially managed secure training centres had been used almost 11,600 times since 1999.
The inquiry, which will be chaired by Lord Carlile of Berriew QC, will last a year and will investigate the use of physical restraint, solitary confinement and forcible strip searching of children in prisons, secure training centres and local authority secure children's homes.
Lord Carlile said that although the charity recognised that "many of the children held in custody exhibit challenging behaviour and have complex health and social needs," it was concerned about some of the methods used to deal with their behaviour.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
