After informing members of a working group via email about a plan to ban seclusion rooms in schools last week, Alberta’s education minister has made it official.

David Eggen signed a ministerial order which will go into effect Sept. 1, 2019.

“As a parent and a former teacher, I’ve been disturbed by some of the incidents I’ve heard about involving seclusion rooms,” said Eggen.

“I want to thank the members of the working group I appointed to advise me on this issue. They made it clear that new guidelines alone were not sufficient to limit the use of these rooms and their advocacy helped shape the decision to sign the order,” he added.

The minister said school boards will be required to provide a list of schools with seclusion rooms. Those rooms must be decommissioned by Aug. 30.

Alberta Education will inspect schools to ensure compliance with the order.

The issue with seclusion was first brought to light in September 2018 when the parents of an autistic boy filed a lawsuit against the province. It claims the boy was locked in a seclusion room at his school, naked and alone, in 2015.

Inclusion Alberta released its findings of an online survey on the use of seclusion rooms in schools in mid-February.

Of about 400 parents who responded, 53 per cent said their child had been secluded or restrained at school.

“We applaud the minister’s leadership on this issue and are deeply appreciative that he has listened to the concerns of families across the province,” said Barb MacIntyre, Inclusion Alberta president.

“This is a historic change for students in Alberta, and Canada, and I know many parents who will be relieved they no longer have to live in fear their child will be placed in seclusion or isolation,” said added.

However, school boards will be allowed to apply for an exemption from the order for use of a seclusion room at a school if there is proof of support from parents.

“It’s a question of building individual, personal plans that fit for students, that fit for parents and that fit for schools as well. We’re looking for ways by which to deal with students with severe special needs and it’s important to ensure that you’re building an individual plan that agrees with all parties,” said Eggen.

Although pleased with the ban, advocates are concerned with the possibility of exemptions.

“Seclusion should never be part of a planned programmatic approach so we need to know what criteria will be used for determining a child can still be placed in seclusion,” MacIntyre said.

“We know parents can be coerced into agreeing to these practices in order to keep their child in school and this cannot be allowed to continue, nor should requesting seclusion be reason in and of itself for an exemption. We will continue to advocate to ensure the safety of all children.”

The minister said the definition of a seclusion room and how the exemptions will work or be enforced will be released in the coming months.

“We’re not just leaving it at this by any means I will provide support to make sure that people are getting training and support in the broadest possible way,” said Eggen.

“Certainly the safety of students, of teachers, of support staff will not be compromised in this situation. We will look for ways by which we can build plans that can ensure the safety of everyone.”