RCOT statement
The Royal College of Occupational Therapists (RCOT) has been alerted to the use of Graduated Electronic Decelerator devices to control the behaviour of autistic and/or intellectually disabled students at the Judge Rotenberg Educational Centre in Massachusetts, USA.
As a profession concerned with promoting human and occupational rights (WFOT 2019) and with a responsibility to protect and safeguard the interests of vulnerable people, RCOT condemns the use of devices and approaches that intentionally inflict injury, loss or damage to individuals or groups of people.
RCOT therefore calls for the use of these dangerous, abusive and discriminatory devices to be banned immediately.