Stop Chaining: NECIC Urges Malaysia to End Mechanical Restraint of Autistic Children | KiddyNews

The National Early Childhood Intervention Council (NECIC) has called for Malaysia to end the use of mechanical restraint on children with disabilities, following public concern over a viral video showing an autistic teenage girl chained by one leg at a care centre.

In a joint commentary, Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Ng Lai-Thin and Wong Hui-Min stressed that chaining a child is not a form of care or clinical intervention, but a restrictive practice that has no place in disability support.

“Behaviour Is Communication, Not Aggression”

The authors said behaviours often described as aggressive or self-injurious should be understood as signs of distress rather than characteristics of the child.

According to the commentary, such behaviours may result from pain, sensory overload, communication difficulties, anxiety, trauma or unmet support needs.

Instead of asking how to restrain a child, they argued that caregivers and professionals should first seek to understand what the child is trying to communicate and provide appropriate, individualised support.

“Chaining a leg is not a plan. It is the absence of one,” the authors wrote.

Parents Need Better Support, Not Limited Choices

The commentary acknowledged the challenges faced by parents and care providers, noting that many families may have exhausted available options before agreeing to institutional care.

However, the authors argued that parental consent should not be viewed as evidence that mechanical restraint is appropriate, particularly if families have no better alternatives within an under-resourced support system.

They also emphasised that a court order for placement should not be interpreted as approval for the use of mechanical restraint.

Call for National Standards and Better Autism Support

Drawing on international practices, the authors urged Malaysia to adopt restraint-reduction and restraint-elimination programmes similar to those implemented in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.

Among the measures proposed are:

• Comprehensive needs assessments before restrictive measures are considered
• Greater access to trained autism specialists and occupational therapists
• Sensory-friendly care environments
• Independent monitoring of restraint incidents
• A long-term goal of eliminating mechanical restraint in care settings

They also called for enforceable national standards prohibiting mechanical restraint of children with disabilities, alongside increased funding, workforce training, routine inspections and expanded community-based support services.

Calls to Strengthen Child Protection

The authors urged the Ministry of Women, Family and Community Development and the Ministry of Health to conduct an independent review of the case and strengthen safeguards for children with disabilities.

They concluded that children with autism and intellectual disabilities deserve understanding, dignity and appropriate support, adding that the country’s response should focus on improving care systems rather than relying on restrictive practices.

Source:

Code Blue – “Chaining Is Not Care: Malaysia Must Move Past Restraint And Rethink How We See Autism — Dr Amar-Singh HSS, Ng Lai-Thin & Wong Hui-Min”

Thoughtfully adapted by KiddyNews. Keeping parents and educators informed with the latest ECCE developments from Malaysia and beyond.