Two Counsellors Charged After Alleged Child Assault at Welland School

Two mental health counsellors have been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged assault involving a child at a school in Welland, Ontario’s Niagara Region.

Niagara Regional Police said their investigation began last month after an assault was reported at the Mountainview Centre for Innovative Learning in Welland. Police allege that the counsellors used restraint techniques that were outside their scope of training, resulting in excessive force against a child.

The school runs specialized programming for children with a range of mental health and learning challenges, with a teacher and a mental health counsellor in each classroom, police said. Investigators focused on the circumstances surrounding the alleged restraint, including whether the actions taken aligned with the training and responsibilities of the staff involved.

Police charged a 22-year-old from Grimsby, Ontario, and a 26-year-old from Welland with one count of assault each. Police said they believe there may be more victims and urged anyone with information to come forward.

Pathstone Mental Health, the organization that operates the school, said in a statement posted Friday that it is working with Niagara...