Please be aware of the petition at http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/he-was-tied-up-to-a-chair-and-left-there-end-this-abuse-of-disabled-children-in-schools

"This haunts me every day of my life… the things that happened to me - like being locked in small rooms, being pulled to the ground by my neck and having someone hold me down when I can't breathe, being tied up, this is not ok."

Mychelle's eight year old autistic son was strapped to a chair, locked in small, dark rooms and repeatedly tied up to 'manage' his behaviour at school.

She was left absolutely shocked when she found out. Like any parent, she trusted her child's school, Golden Square Primary, to look after her son – instead he was regularly 'restrained' by teachers, abused and humiliated. 

Treating children with disabilities like this is wrong. The Human Rights Commission have said it 'breaches' child rights to use 'restraint' against kids at school like this. The government promised two years ago to make sure incidents like this stopped, instead they've continued unchecked. 

But the practice of 'restraint' still continues, at our public schools, and dozens of other parents are beginning to come forward with similar experiences.

A mum called Tracey had her son strapped in a stroller for physical education lessons so he couldn't move - just watching while his classmates ran around having fun. 

A student at Western Autistic School was left "screaming for help" after being locked in small rooms, one time for hours while his class went on an excursion. He was only nine years old.

This abuse of some of our most vulnerable children needs to stop immediately- through regulation by the government and an independent inquiry to understand how it's continuing. 

Please sign my petition demanding Premier Napthine step in and ensure our schools end the damaging use of 'restraint' against children with disabilities.