94 statements and own-initiatives Private transport services providers in child welfare services In the processing of complaints and during inspection visits, it emerged that a private company was providing transportation services under very challenging circumstances for children and adolescents placed in care, usually in a situation where the child or adolescent had absconded from a place of foster care. This gave rise to the suspicion that the same operator may continue operating independently in some situations, without the social services. On some occasions, children had also been transported by private security firms. Valvira has been requested to establish to what extent private companies are used as part of foster care service provision, how these companies operate, under what circumstances the services may be used and how the operations are supervised. Decision issued on own-initiative investigations The use of a restraining bed at Espoo Police Prison Based on an observation during a visit to Espoo Police Prison, it was discovered that a restraining bed was in use, on which a person may be restrained, while face down, by the arms and legs. The person may also be restrained by handcuffs and leg cuffs whilst strapped to the bed. The bed has an opening through which the restrained person can vomit. The person may additionally be restrained by straps fastened across their body, including the head, so that the person lies completely immobilised. The Deputy-Ombudsman finds that the current legislation does not allow for During the visit to the Espoo Police Prison, the inthe use of such means of restraint in a spectors learnt about the restraining bed and how police prison. If such restraint beds were it is used. One of the experts agreed to be restained to be used in police prisons in the future, on the bed during the visit. the practice should be governed by legal provisions similar to those of the Mental Health Act. Moreover, even under such legislation, the bed should be similar to those used in medical treatment in psychiatric care, and not the type used at Espoo Police Prison. In general, the Deputy-Ombudsman did not find any just cause for the use of a restraining bed in police prisons and concurs with the opinion of the CPT that restraining beds should no longer be used in police prisons. Restraining measures should be strictly based on a physician’s assessment and carried out by health-care professionals. Follow-up: The National Police Board reported that it had sent a communication to all police departments with instructions to stop using restraining beds in police prisons. The Western Uusimaa Police Department had already stopped the use of the restraining bed prior to the communication. According to the National Police Board, restraining beds are no longer used in any police prisons. According to the Ministry of the Interior, there are no plans to reintroduce restraining beds as a means of restraint in police prisons.