Children deprived of their liberty from the perspective of the prohibition of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment 2015, para. 56
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One of the most egregious forms of abuse in health and social care settings is unique to children. Numerous studies have documented that a child's healthy development depends on the child's ability to form emotional attachments to a consistent care-giver. Children need more than physical sustenance; they also require emotional companionship and attention to flourish. Unfortunately, this fundamental need for connection is consistently not met in many institutions, leading to self-abuse, including children banging their head against walls or poking their eyes. In reaction, care-givers use physical restraints as a long-term solution, or hold the children in cages or their beds, practices that have been linked to muscular atrophy and skeletal deformity.
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Non-negotiated soft law
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Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment