Restrictive Interventions

Restrictive Intervention Policy

Updated in line with DfE Restrictive interventions, including use of reasonable force, in schools (April 2026) and the Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2025

This policy should be read with the Behaviour, Safeguarding, SEND, Health and Safety and Complaints policies and the school’s Searching, Screening and Confiscation arrangements.

1. Purpose

This policy sets out how IGS: Durham prevents, manages, records, and reviews restrictive interventions, including reasonable force, restraint, and seclusion. It ensures compliance with the Independent School Standards (ISS), current DfE guidance, and new statutory duties on recording and reporting seclusion and restraint.

IGS: Durham is committed to safeguarding pupils, minimising the need for restrictive interventions, and ensuring that any intervention is lawful, necessary, proportionate, and the least restrictive option available.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

- All pupils at IGS: Durham

- All staff, including volunteers and visiting professionals

- All situations on school premises and off‑site activities under school supervision

- All forms of restrictive intervention: reasonable force, physical restraint, non‑force restrictive interventions, and seclusion

3. Definitions

3.1 Restrictive Intervention: Any action that limits a pupil’s movement, liberty, or freedom to leave a space. This includes reasonable force, physical restraint, and non‑force restrictive interventions.

3.2 Reasonable Force: Force used to prevent harm, maintain safety, or protect property, where the level of force is necessary and proportionate to the risk. No more force may be used than is needed, for the shortest possible time. All school staff have a legal power to use reasonable force in the circumstances set out in section 93 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006. Planned interventions should be undertaken by appropriately trained staff; lack of training does not prevent necessary, reasonable emergency action to protect a pupil or others.

3.3 Restraint: A non‑disciplinary intervention that immobilises or restricts movement, with or without physical contact.

3.4 Seclusion: Keeping a pupil apart from others (except supervising staff) and preventing them from leaving, either physically or through a belief that they will be punished if they leave. Seclusion is not a disciplinary measure. It must only be used as an immediate safety measure to protect others from harm when a pupil is experiencing high levels of emotional or behavioural dysregulation, and not through threats of punishment. A genuinely voluntary calming space, which the pupil can leave, is not seclusion.

4. Principles

IGS: Durham adheres to the following principles:

Safety first: Interventions are used only to prevent significant harm to the pupil, others, or property.

Minimum necessary force: Staff use the least restrictive option for the shortest possible time.

Proactive prevention: Early intervention, de-escalation, and positive behaviour support are prioritised. Staff use calm communication, allow time and space to settle, reduce distressing stimuli where possible and seek help from colleagues. Individual triggers and support strategies are shared with relevant staff.

Respect and dignity: Pupils are treated with care, respect, and sensitivity at all times.

Compliance: All actions comply with the Education and Inspections Act 2006, ISS, and DfE guidance.

Transparency: All incidents are recorded and reported to parents in line with 2025 regulations.

5. When Restrictive Intervention May Be Used

Restrictive intervention may be used only when:

- A pupil’s behaviour poses an immediate risk of injury to themselves or others

- A pupil is causing serious damage to property

- A pupil’s behaviour is seriously disrupting teaching or learning and poses a safety risk

- A pupil is attempting to leave a safe area and doing so would place them at risk

Restrictive intervention must not be used:

- As punishment

- For convenience

- To force compliance where no safety risk exists

- In any way that is degrading, dangerous, or medically unsafe

Staff must not use any restraint that affects a pupil’s airway, breathing or circulation, including covering the mouth or nose or applying pressure to the neck or abdomen. Ground restraint is dangerous and must be avoided; if a pupil is unintentionally held on the ground, holds must be released or the pupil moved into a safer position as quickly as possible. Staff must monitor distress and stop the intervention as soon as it is no longer necessary. Injuries or medical concerns require prompt first aid, medical assessment or emergency assistance as appropriate.

Appropriate ordinary physical contact, such as first aid, comforting a distressed child or guiding a willing pupil, is not prohibited. Staff must consider the pupil’s age, needs, wishes and the Safeguarding Policy. No parental consent is required for necessary, lawful reasonable force; agreed support plans and discussion with parents do not replace staff judgement in the circumstances.

6. Seclusion

Seclusion is a high‑risk intervention and must only be used when:

- A pupil’s behaviour presents an immediate and serious risk

- No other safe alternative is available

- The pupil must be kept away from others to prevent harm

Requirements:

- Seclusion must be authorised by the Principal or a senior leader wherever practicable. Where immediate action is necessary to prevent harm, staff must not delay to seek authorisation, but must inform the Principal as soon as possible.

- The pupil must be continuously supervised and their welfare monitored.

- The environment must be safe, supervised, and appropriate.

- The pupil must be allowed to leave as soon as the immediate risk of harm has reduced.

- Parents must be informed and the incident recorded and reported under the 2025 Regulations.

- IGS: Durham does not operate “isolation rooms” for disciplinary purposes.

7. Staff Training

Staff likely to need to use restrictive interventions will receive adequate training in prevention, de-escalation and safe, lawful handling techniques. Planned physical interventions should be carried out by appropriately trained staff. This does not prevent necessary, reasonable emergency action by other staff to protect a pupil or others. Training includes recognising triggers, trauma-informed practice, SEND considerations, assessing necessity and proportionality, safe physical intervention, and recording and reporting duties.

Training is refreshed annually and monitored by SLT.

8. Considerations for Pupils with SEND

Staff must consider:

- Known triggers

- Communication needs

- Sensory sensitivities

- Behaviour support plans

- Medical conditions

- Restrictive interventions must never replace appropriate SEND provision. Reasonable adjustments must be made for disabled pupils. Where risk is identified, staff will work with the pupil, parents and relevant professionals to develop and review an individual risk assessment and behaviour support plan, including after any significant incident. An agreed plan does not authorise an intervention that is unnecessary or disproportionate in the circumstances.

9. Recording and Reporting Requirements

IGS: Durham follows the recording and reporting duties under section 93A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 and Independent School Standards 16A and 32A, introduced by the 2025 Regulations.

9.1       Recording

Staff involved must make a written record as soon as practicable after the incident, aiming to complete it the same day. They must notify the Principal promptly. The following must be recorded:

- Every significant use of force: this means force going beyond appropriate ordinary physical contact, not merely incidents involving injury or a high degree of force

- Use of restraint

- Use of seclusion

- Any non‑force restrictive intervention (e.g., blocking exits)

Records must include:

- Date, time, location and approximate duration

- Names of staff involved and relevant witnesses

- Name of the pupil and relevant needs or circumstances, including SEND and SEN status code

- Description of the incident and risk, what led up to it, known or potential triggers and preventative or de-escalation strategies used

- Type of intervention, type and degree of force, and why it was assessed as necessary and proportionate

- Impact on the pupil and staff, including any physical injuries or other adverse effects

- Post-incident support, medical assessment or treatment and follow-up actions

- Parent notification details

- The pupil’s account where practicable, when and how parents were informed, and subsequent review

Where an incident falls under both the significant-use-of-force procedure and the seclusion/restraint procedure, one record and report containing the required information is sufficient. Ordinary appropriate physical contact does not require a restrictive intervention record.

9.2       Reporting to Parents

The Principal will ensure information about each significant use of force and each seclusion or restraint incident is provided in writing to each parent as soon as practicable, aiming for the same day. Reporting must not be delayed simply to wait for a 24-hour deadline. The information will include date, time, location, approximate duration, why the intervention was necessary, the type and degree of force or restriction and any injuries. These duties apply even where an intervention forms part of a support plan agreed with parents.

Information must not be supplied to a parent if doing so would be likely to cause significant harm to the pupil. Staff must consult the DSL and record the reason. Information must be given to any parent to whom it can safely be reported; if there is none, it must be reported to the local authority where the pupil ordinarily lives. The statutory reporting exception for pupils aged 20 or over is not relevant to the school’s current age range.

9.3       Data Review

The Principal and Board review incident data termly to identify patterns, improve practice and reduce restrictive interventions, including any disproportionate use affecting pupils with SEND or other protected characteristics. Review is proportionate to the school’s size and considers repeated incidents, triggers, staff training and the effectiveness of support plans.

10. Post‑Incident Support

The Principal will arrange prompt review of each incident, including separate pupil and staff accounts, and ensure any injuries receive appropriate attention. Witnesses who are distressed will also be offered support. Any safeguarding concern takes priority over routine debriefing.

For Pupils:

- Emotional check‑ins

- Supportive follow-up conversations, ideally facilitated by a staff member not involved, without requiring the pupil to apologise or participate in a joint meeting

- Review of behaviour plans

- Opportunity to express their views

For Staff:

- Debriefing

- Access to support if distressed

- Review of practice and training needs

11. Complaints and Allegations

Complaints relating to restrictive interventions are handled under the school’s Complaints Policy. Allegations of inappropriate force or other restrictive interventions must also be dealt with promptly under the Safeguarding Policy and Keeping Children Safe in Education 2026, including referral to the LADO where the harm threshold is met. Other concerns must follow the school’s low-level concerns procedures. Suspension is not an automatic response; the safeguarding procedures determine the appropriate action.

12. Governance and Oversight

The Proprietor ensures:

- Compliance with ISS Part 3 (Welfare, Health and Safety)

- Annual review of this policy

- Monitoring of incident data

- Staff training and resourcing

13. Publication

This policy is:

- Shared with all staff

- Available to parents

- Published on the school website

- Reviewed annually or following legislative change

This policy replaced the Use of Reasonable Force Policy in September 2026 to reflect changes in legislation and certain new terms which had become more prominent (e.g. restrictive intervention and seclusion).  Staff training is planned for Michaelmas I, 2026.

Reviewed: September 2026. Next review: September 2027, or sooner following legislative change or significant incidents.