Ms Koulla Yiasouma:

Single separation is an issue that is close to my heart. I did a great deal of work on it just before I stopped being the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People. There have been some reports in the media about Oberstown's use of single separation. When I saw some of the figures, there was a lump in my throat, but I have interrogated them further. When referring to single separation at Oberstown, we are not talking about solitary confinement. Rather, we are speaking about young people being separated from their peers. They still have engagement with staff and others. In the past month, the maximum has been 13 hours and the average has been seven hours. We are talking about timeouts in their rooms or on their units, with members of staff but away from other young people because they have fallen out or something has happened. It is generally because they pose a risk to others or to themselves. I am not justifying it. It is-----