An autistic child was kept in a purpose-built cage at a school in Australia, prompting an investigation by officials.
Authorities said the metal 2m by 2m by 2m cage with a roof, self-closing door and latch, cost an unnamed school in Canberra $5,195 (£2,390) and was put together by an external builder in March.
It said the decision to construct the “inappropriate structure” was taken solely by the school’s principal, who has now left their position and “won’t be going back to a school”.
Joy Burch, Education Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, (ACT), criticised the publication this week of photos of the structure, which she said would be heart-breaking for the boy’s family, ABC reports.
A 10-year-old autistic boy was kept in this cage at school http://t.co/XSjnErMBbG
— Carolina Estrada (@CarolEstrada23) September 9, 2015
According to the news site, she said: “I accept that the community rightly wanted answers as to how such a structure came to be.
“Information about this is now freely available to the public.
“Publishing [these photos do] not assist in getting to the truth or add any more insight as to why it was constructed.”
The student involved - in what the investigation has said was an “isolated incident” - is believed to be a 10-year-old boy with autism, although this has not been confirmed by authorities in the Australian capital.
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The cage was removed within 14 days after the Minister for Education and Training was notified of a complaint about the school which had been made to the Commissioner for Children and Young People.
“The structure was designed as a space for a student to calm down and when the student needed a quiet space,” the report explained.
“There was one occasion where the student was put in the structure by staff to calm down.”
