Autistic boy with ‘uncontrollable behaviour’ is pinned down for seven minutes while in disability care funded by the NDIS

A child with a severe disability was held by his carers for seven minutes as part of a controversial therapy funded by the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Harrowing images obtained by ABC’s four corners program shows a teenager with autism sitting on a mat in a padded room, surrounded by six adults wearing protective headgear and gloves at Irabina Autism Services in Melbourne.

Disability workers can be heard deciding which of them should grab the boy’s arms and who should control his legs. The child is non-verbal and exhibits ‘uncontrollable behavior’.

When the teen stands up, the group restrains him as he screams.

An employee then tells the boy: ‘We need to be calm for five minutes. That means you won’t hurt us or yourself. You can get some Nurofen in five minutes.’

But the boy couldn’t keep calm for five minutes; he only managed three and a half minutes before he started moving again.

The staff then tackled him and held him face-first for about seven minutes while other staff entered the room to take over from some of the original group.

When the boy was finally under control, he was told he could go home.

One of the workers then asked him for a high five – which the boy complied – and another offered him the painkillers he had been promised.

The system used at Irabina Autism Services – where 18 children, mainly aged 10 to 14, took part in a ‘Severe Behavior Program’ – was a controversial system first used in the US.

Four Corners reported that each room had a camera and an observation room with a one-way mirror through which others could see the therapy.

An independent report obtained by the ABC found the practices used were unlawful and contrary to Victoria’s human rights charter.

According to the report, the type of restraint used would be “oppressive, frightening or intimidating” for anyone.

In Victoria, the use of any method to restrain a person with a disability is regulated by the Senior Practitioner.

Former Victorian Senior Practitioner Frank Lambrick was shown the video and said it was ‘shocking’.

“There is absolutely no situation in which such a restriction can be applied,” he said, adding that such actions were “unlawful” and “abusive.”

‘The prone position is probably the riskiest of the banned restraints because it involves forcing a person to lie down, putting pressure on internal organs.’

In a disturbing video obtained by ABC’s Four Corners programme, a teenager with autism and a severe intellectual disability was shown surrounded by six adults in a padded room (pictured)

In a statement, Irabina’s board welcomed the previous investigations into the Severe Behavior Program and said it continues to cooperate fully with regulators.

‘The intention has always been to provide the highest level of care and support for children and their families with serious behavioral problems.

“Irabina deeply regrets that it has not achieved this target and that any problems may have been caused by these investigations.”

Aruma Disability Services took over Irabina in June this year.