CYP Now - School punishments 'worsen vulnerable children’s mental health'

Vulnerable children suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are being further traumatised through school punishments such as being secluded and excluded, according to a mental health charity.

A third of children in England and Wales are exposed to trauma, the report says. Picture: Adobe Stock

A Centre for Mental Health report found that around a third of children in England and Wales are exposed to trauma, such as neglect and abuse, before they are 18. A quarter of this group of children will go on to develop PTSD, it says.

Those who are violent and showing challenging behaviour such as stealing and ignoring rules are more likely to have been affected by trauma, the Centre adds.

But too often schools are failing to understand the effects of trauma on children and are responding to their challenging behaviour through “restrictive action” that is leaving them further traumatised.

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