Grant Robertson slams Hekia Parata over seclusion rooms

  • 22/10/2016
A seclusion room (Newshub.)
A seclusion room (Newshub.)

The Ministry of Education has apologised to the parents of an autistic boy who was locked in a small room at Miramar Central School.

The Ministry received a complaint in July that children were being locked in the darkened room.

Education Minister Hekia Parata was briefed about the room in late July - but she allowed it to continue for two more months.

The Ministry apologised today for its handling of the complaint - but Labour's Grant Robertson says that's not enough.

"Look, I think the minister has got to step up and take some responsibility here," he says.

"She's been aware for some time that seclusion rooms are being used across New Zealand. They're unacceptable and she needed to act earlier."

Newshub.