A GROUP of cross-party MPs and Peers have sent a letter to Claire Coutinho, Minister for Children Families and Wellbeing, expressing their concern about the worrying prevalence of secure transportation providers restraining and handcuffing vulnerable children unnecessarily.
They have also called for a meeting with the Hope Instead of Handcuffs campaign to discuss reform of the sector, as well as a review of data gaps in the secure transportation of children.
As the current situation stands, some private transportation providers handcuff vulnerable children on journeys whilst they are being transported between care settings, such as between a children’s home to a hospital.
This restraint causes children significant pain and distress, and is in complete breach of their human rights as laid out by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. To be clear, these are innocent children who have not been accused of any crime.
Emily Aklan founder of the Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign commented: ‘After our recent success in reforms on this issue in Wales, it is absolutely vital that children in all 4 nations of the UK receive similar protections, including in England.
‘I am delighted to see such a groundswell of cross-party parliamentary support for the campaign, and I sincerely hope that the minister is open to a dialogue on this issue.’
Their letter read:
‘Dear Minister,
‘As a group of cross-party MPs and Peers representing constituencies across the country, we are writing to express our collective concern about the worrying prevalence of secure transportation providers restraining and handcuffing vulnerable children unnecessarily.
‘We are also writing to request that you:
- Urgently conduct a review of the data gaps in secure transportation, which preclude proper monitoring and scrutiny of providers’ restraint practices.
- Meet with us and representatives of the ‘Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign’ to discuss how accountability and transparency can be increased across the sector.
‘Shockingly, many secure transportation providers use restraints such as handcuffs on vulnerable children in care. To be clear, these are innocent children outside the custodial system. Some of these providers even advertise that they use handcuffs on their website.
‘Providers should be required to record and report any instances of restraint to an appropriate body, which would be appointed by the government to monitor and scrutinise this data. Doing so would bring secure transportation in line with other areas of the care system, improve transparency, and initiate a cultural change within the sector that will reduce, and ultimately end, the brutal handcuffing of vulnerable children.
‘We ask that you meet with us and representatives of the Hope instead of Handcuffs campaign to understand more about the issue, the impact it is having on vulnerable children, and to discuss what steps can be taken to end this brutal practice.
‘Yours sincerely,
‘Munira Wilson MP, Alex Davies-Jones MP, Liz
Saville-Roberts MP, Tonia Antoniazzi MP, Janet Daby MP, Ruth Jones MP, Jim Shannon MP, John
McDonnell MP,Sarah Champion MP, Olivia Blake MP, Bell Ribeiro-Addy MP, Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle, Baroness Jones of Moulescoomb, Lord Wigley.’