This should be used:
"Occasionally as a method of discipline to help check children who have a problem with unruly speech.
"Conversation restriction should ideally only be for a few minutes to half an hour or so (and certainly no more than 3 hours at any one time in any one day). Should repeated conversation restriction be necessary the situation should be taken to the child-care teamworker and counselled about together with the childrens' parents or guardian acting on behalf of the parents. ... Children should not have their mouth taped shut, or suffer any other forms of physical restraint or facial covering (such as a gauze mask) for the purpose of discipline which prevents them from speaking, or from breathing freely or naturally, or causes them undue public embarrassment."
To cover a child's face like that is an appalling practice which I deprecate and I am only relieved that no evidence was given suggesting it had ever occurred in this country.
