Ten families are claiming their children were amongst those harmed by their treatment in the rooms.

The BBC investigation began after being shown footage of children in calming rooms at Whitefield School in north London Parents are suing a special school after a BBC investigation uncovered CCTV footage showing autistic children being locked inside calming rooms and abused. Ten families are claiming that their children – all of whom had learning disabilities or several mental disorders - were amongst those harmed by their treatment in the rooms. A police investigation into the abuse, recorded inside the rooms at Whitefield special school in north London, ended two years ago without any charges. The school is now run by a new trust which says the failings have led to "important learning". Many special schools use seclusion spaces such as calming rooms outside of classrooms to address sensory needs or challenging behaviour. But the leaked footage obtained by the BBC showed children being shoved into padded rooms, thrown to the floor, restrained by the neck - or left alone, sitting in vomit. One 12-year-old boy appeared in over 55 hours of CCTV footage filmed inside the rooms.