By Rhiannon Ansemous Introduction Across the UK, individuals with autism and learning disabilities are supported by services that are expected to promote safety, wellbeing, and a meaningful life. Yet in many settings, the concept of “risk” has become a dominant organising force—often at the expense of autonomy, dignity, and happiness (Beadle-Brown et al., 2016; CQC, 2020). When risk management eclipses a person’s right to joy, connection, and agency, the result is not safety,

In effect, we have created an industry of ‘pseudo martial arts’ when in reality, crisis situations are not about self-defence.

This article will look briefly at the long history of abusive practices at the Judge Rotenberg Center and electric shock treatment.

This article is the first in a series of discussions around physical interventions training in the crisis management industry.

In this article, we would like to highlight some recent research and their findings in the area of education. Firstly, we look at the...

In this article, two families share their experiences of education and applying the Low Arousal Approach with young people, and the...

This short educational video describes the real, lived experience of a young person who has witnessed physical restraint in a school setting

In this article, Professor Andrew McDonnell comments on the court case against 9 members of staff from Whorlton Hall exposed by BBC Panorama

Alexis Quinn is an autistic author whose book ‘Unbroken: Learning to Live Beyond Diagnosis’ shares some of her experiences within mental...

The following extract from a recent practitioner article from key Studio 3 practitioners highlights the growing issue of restrictive practices in school settings. Restraint and seclusion in schools is a growing issue The use of restraint and seclusion in school settings is an international problem. It has been the impression of the authors that there has been an alarming increase in the acceptance of these practices in school environments, particularly in the last five to ten

This extract describes how the LASER Programme approaches the difficult topic of reducing physical interventions in schools.

An excerpt from the upcoming book on Restraint and Seclusion Elimination: The Studio 3 Approach by Professor Andrew McDonnell, coming soon!