Mental health worker charged as police say ‘restraint techniques’ used on child at Welland school amounted to assault

The Niagara Regional Police Service detachment in 1 District located in St. Catharines, Ont., is shown on Friday, March 15, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Lynett

A 22-year-old mental health worker is accused of using “restraint techniques” on a child at a school in Welland, Ont.

Niagara Regional Police said the alleged assault took place at Mountainview Centre for Innovative Learning, which is Pathstone Mental Health’s primary school.

According to police, the school, located at 1604 Merrittville Hwy., uses a teacher and a mental health counsellor in each classroom “to provide specialized programs for children with various mental health and learning challenges.”

“Detectives were contacted after concerns arose that a mental health counsellor was using restraint techniques, that were outside of their scope of training, on a child at the school,” police said in a news release on Thursday.

Their investigation determined, police said, that the actions by the counsellor amounted to “excessive use of force and assault.”

On Thursday, police arrested 22-year-old Madison Porkolab of Grimsby. She was charged with assault.

“Detectives believed that there may be more victims and are asking for those victims to come forward,” police said.

Investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.