Restraining restraints

Our staff reached out to a youth after we learned that he had his arm broken while being restrained by staff at his group home. The incident was reported to us through a mandatory notification that all agencies are required to file, known as a Death and Serious Bodily Harm (DSBH) report. Our Office follows up on every DSBH report that indicates a young person has been injured as the result of a physical restraint. The youth, who has a developmental disability and behavioural issues, told us he was restrained often at the home.

We reviewed the investigation of the incident by the children’s aid society (CAS) and police, and discovered that one of the resulting recommendations was for the group home to ask the police to caution the youth about his recurring problematic behaviour. We inquired with the CAS and group home and confirmed they did not – and would not – involve police in managing the behaviour of a young person with a developmental disability. The home has since brought in a new supervisor who has emphasized de-escalation and reviewed the use of restraints, resulting in less use on this youth.

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