IT is “impossible” to know how many youngsters are restrained or secluded in Scotland’s schools, a watchdog claims.

An investigation by the Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland shows the use of physical restraint on pupils is “largely unmonitored” by councils – meaning no one knows how frequent incidents are or their seriousness.

It is also not known which children are most affected by practices, which involve holding young people to restrict their movement and confining them alone in an area they are prevented from leaving.

Four councils have no policies in place on the use of practices.

Commissioner Bruce Adamson is now calling on the Scottish Government to create a rulebook to cover the country to protect the rights of minors.

Adamson said: “Restraint and seclusion should only ever be used as a last resort to prevent harm, not as a means of behaviour management.

“Clear and consistent policies and procedures linked to a human rights framework are critical. It is unacceptable that some staff are being left to try and manage situations without adequate guidance and support.”

He went on: “Our investigation into the use of restraint and seclusion revealed a complete lack of consistency across authorities. Some authorities record incidents but have no guidelines, some have guidelines but cannot tell us how often they use the procedure.

“More worrying, we have heard from young people, their parents and carers how these practices are used as discipline or punishment, without an understanding of needs or care for individuals.”

The probe is the first undertaken by the body, which was established in 2004.

It is now before the Scottish Parliament and both the Scottish Government and councils have until the end of January to respond.

Parent Sharon Gardner said her son, who has sensory issues and anxiety, was repeatedly subjected to both practices for wetting himself at school.

She said: “Instead of reducing his stress, restraining him and locking him alone in a room increased it and led to serious mental health issues by the time he was eight.”