Mum says Newbery Park Primary School put boy with ADHD in ‘solitary confinement’

For four weeks, Year 2 student Declan has been isolated at school in a room his classmates call the “jail cell”. He can’t even go outside to play at recess and lunch.

Declan Wimshurst-Quin with his mum, Helen Brooks. Picture: Frank Monger

A Millicent mum says her seven-year-old son has been removed from his classroom and is being forced to spend his school day on his own in “solitary confinement” as punishment for his problematic behaviour.

Helen Brooks said her son, Declan Wimshurst-Quin, who has ADHD, had been ordered to spend the final four weeks of last term isolated from other children.

She said the Year 2 student, who had “issues”, was held in a room away from class at Newbery Park Primary School during lesson time and confined to a tiny first-aid room for lunch and recess.

It comes after Black Forest Primary School principal Iain Elliott kept an eight-year-old boy with ADHD in time out for a whole day, telling his mother he was “very deliberately trying to make sure this is something he hates”.

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Declan Wimshurst-Quin with his mum, Helen Brooks. Picture: Supplied by family

An Education Department spokesperson said the student was spending his day in a room with a special services officer (SSO) but denied Ms Brooks’s claim that Declan had been isolated from other children.

In a statement, the spokesperson said the department had “acted to ensure safety for everyone” and the student – who had assaulted other students and staff on a number of occasions – “at times joins class for periods of direct teaching” and was allowed “regular break times outside with his SSO and a friend”.

But Ms Brooks, who obtained a sick certificate to keep her boy home for the last two weeks of school, said he was not allowed out at break times and was given play time outside – sometimes with one friend – only when other children were in class.

She said she had been told the “cruel” arrangement would continue when he returned to school for Term 2 on Monday and that she had decided to keep him home.

“He doesn’t understand why he’s not allowed to talk to his friends or go out and play,” said Ms Brooks, who now feared for Declan’s mental health.

“The kids call it a jail cell. They are treating him like a person in jail that’s done murder, really, in solitary confinement.”

Declan in the first-aid room where he spends lunch and recess. Picture: Supplied

Declan in the first-aid room where he spends lunch and recess . Picture: Supplied

Ms Brooks said her son – who had spent the last three years on a waiting list to be assessed for autism spectrum disorder – struggled with impulse control, had sensory issues that meant he had to wear ear muffs in the classroom and had been suspended “several times”.

The 40-year-old mum said Declan had been in trouble for swearing and lashing out at other students and teachers. He drew blood on a teacher after biting her on the leg, punched another teacher in the mouth and most recently hurt four older students who had approached him.

But she said the school’s solution was leaving her son “scared”.

“His behaviour is not right, he needs help, but not isolation. What they are doing to my son is wrong,” said Ms Brooks.

“Every time I go there (to collect him), he’s so scared. When he grows up, he’s not going to know what to do with people or anything like that.

“I’m happy to work with them to get help with behaviour issues.”

Ms Brooks said Declan spent class time in the small room with an SSO, not a teacher. She refuted the department’s claim that he was allowed back into the classroom at intervals.

She said last year, the school gave Declan an “internal suspension” that meant he had to be picked up at 12.40pm every day to avoid spending lunchtime with other children.

The mum-of-one, who has recently gained her truck driver’s licence, said that restrictive punishment – which was in place for nearly three terms – meant she could not work.

She said she feared for her son’s future.

“I just don’t want my son hurting anyone and I want him to have a happy childhood. I want him to have interaction with kids so he knows how to be around kids, how to behave,” she said.

“If that was me putting my son in a room all day on his own, I’d have him taken off me by welfare.”

The department had been “working closely with the school since 2023 to support this student and his family in this complex and challenging matter”, its spokesperson said in the statement.

“The school takes seriously its responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff and all students at the school and have acted to ensure safety for everyone,” the statement said.

“The student has not been isolated.

“The student works one-on-one with an SSO and at times joins class for periods of direct teaching.

“The school has established a clear schedule to increase time spent in class and time spent with peers for both structured and unstructured learning.”

Newbery Park Primary School.

The spokesperson said the student had access to “a couch, table and chairs and art supplies” in the first-aid room during recess and lunch, when he was supervised by “multiple staff members” – a claim refuted by Ms Brooks, who said she sometimes spent that time with him.

The statement said the department’s approach was to “ensure the student can still attend school while keeping others safe”.

“The student also has regular break times outside with his SSO and a friend,” it said.

“With the assistance of the department, the school has prepared a behaviour support plan for the student, and continues to work closely with his family to support him to engage in a suitable learning program in Term 2 and for the rest of the year.”

Originally published as Mum says Newbery Park Primary School put boy with ADHD in ‘solitary confinement’