Restrictive interventions in schools: key changes

The Department for Education (DfE) has published new guidance, ‘Restrictive interventions, including the use of reasonable force in schools’, following its consultation on the draft guidance earlier this year.

Clearer definitions

The revised guidance establishes clearer definitions and treats ‘restrictive interventions’ as an umbrella concept that includes both physical and non-physical measures:

• Restrictive intervention: “a means to prevent, restrict or subdue movement of the body, or part of the body, of a pupil,” covering physical and non-physical actions that restrain pupils in different ways
• Restraint: a non-disciplinary intervention that immobilises a pupil or limits movement, which may occur with or without direct physical contact (for example, holding a pupil’s arms to their sides or removing a pupil’s crutches)
• Seclusion: a non-disciplinary intervention involving keeping a pupil confined away from others and preventing them from leaving, whether by physical obstruction, blocking or through fear of punishment. Seclusion requires recording and reporting and must only be used as a safety measure with continuous supervision until the risk reduces
• Other physical contact (non-restrictive): the guidance reaffirms that schools should not have a ‘no contact’ policy and gives examples of ordinary, appropriate contact (for example, first aid, guiding, escorting, comforting or demonstrating techniques), helping distinguish everyday contact from restrictive interventions.

The updated guidance is clear that restrictive interventions must never be used as a punishment, to enforce compliance or as part of routine behaviour management. Any use of force must be lawful, proportionate and reasonable in the circumstances, and must stop as soon as the risk has passed.

Emphasis on prevention and de-escalation

The updated guidance puts prevention and de-escalation at the centre of a school’s approach, moving beyond ‘when and how to use force’ to a proactive, whole school approach, designed to reduce the need for restrictive interventions in the first place. It highlights the importance of creating positive, inclusive behaviour cultures and addressing the underlying causes of distressed behaviour.

Schools must develop a restrictive interventions policy that “emphasises the importance of minimising the need to use restrictive interventions” and sets out whole school and individual measures to prevent escalation. This may form part of the school’s behaviour policy or be a standalone document.

Schools should review each behaviour incident “as soon as practicable” to understand why it occurred and identify patterns or trends. Follow-up debriefs, led by someone not directly involved with the behaviour incident, are recommended to support wellbeing, repair relationships and drive continuous improvement, reinforcing a preventative learning cycle.

While staff who use restrictive interventions should be adequately trained, the guidance does not introduce any training standards. The DfE “trusts school leaders to make decisions on training based on their school’s individual contexts and needs.”

The core test: necessary, proportionate and pupil welfare

The guidance sets out a three-part assessment – necessity, proportionality and pupil welfare – requiring staff to:

• Consider “other more effective, less restrictive” strategies first
• Assess whether an intervention will reduce rather than escalate risk
• Continually reassess to reduce or stop an intervention, where possible.

This ensures decisions to use restrictive interventions are based on explicit criteria rather than general professional judgement alone and embeds de-escalation and alternatives into the decision-making process.

This aspect builds on the previous guidance which, although emphasised the legality of using force to prevent injury, damage or disorder, left the decision to the professional judgement of staff without the same structured test and welfare and equality considerations.

New statutory duties: recording and reporting

Schools must record and report significant incidents of force, seclusion or restraint, including restraint without direct physical contact. Records must be made in writing as soon as practicable, ideally the same day, and include:

• Names of those involved
• Relevant pupil needs/SEND status
• Time, date, location and approximate duration
• Brief account of antecedents, triggers, de-escalation attempts, type and degree of force used and any injuries
• Why force was necessary
• Any post-incident support.

Schools must also report incidents to parents as soon as practicable (ideally the same day), subject only to statutory exceptions. Reports must be communicated in writing and should include time, date, location and duration; reasons why the intervention was necessary; type and degree of force used; and any resulting injuries. This is a marked departure from previous guidance, which treated parent notification and recording of serious incidents as matters for school judgment rather than a mandatory legal duty.

Implications for pupils with SEND

The updated guidance recognises that some pupils with SEND may display behaviours in response to distress, confusion, pain, sensory overload or anxiety, and may be disproportionately subject to restrictive interventions.

The updated guidance expands on the previous guidance’s expectations for pupils with SEND. Schools should understand triggers, create inclusive environments, work closely with families and specialists to produce behaviour support plans, implement reasonable adjustments and prioritise strategies that reduce reliance on restrictive interventions, addressing the risk of disproportionate impact. Restrictive interventions should never be used as a substitute for appropriate SEND provision.

What does this mean for schools?

Unlike the previous guidance, the updated version contains both statutory and non-statutory elements. Schools should ensure they are familiar with the new guidance and have systems in place to ensure compliance with new mandatory recording and reporting duties.

It is clear the updated guidance places an emphasises on the development of a prevention first culture. Schools are required to have in place a policy that prioritises prevention and de-escalation, equips staff with the structured necessity/proportionality/welfare test, sets out SEND-informed strategies and incorporates debrief and incident evaluation procedures.

Schools should also ensure that governing bodies have oversight of incidents through systematic data review.

The new guidance comes into effect on 1 April 2026, giving schools time to review policies, train staff and update systems. Schools should follow the existing guidance until 31 March 2026.