Physical Care, Containment & Restraint Reduction Policy

Policy Updated	May 2025
Next review:	May 2026

Introduction and purpose of policy

This policy has been developed in line with DfE guidance ‘Use of Reasonable Force in Schools’, the ‘Camden Children and Learning Directorate- physical intervention and restraint policy for schools, nurseries and centres 2024’ and the ‘Team Teach’ system.

At Gloucester House, school staff sometimes use physical intervention or restraint to safeguard pupils or to maintain discipline within the school environment. Keeping children safe in education recognises that there are circumstances where it is appropriate and necessary for staff to use reasonable force to achieve these aims and states that schools should not have a no contact policy as this can put staff and pupils at risk.

Our core statement

At Gloucester House, we are committed to maintaining a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment for all our pupils, who all have significant social, emotional, and mental health needs.
All our staff are trained in Team Teach, a positive behaviour management approach that focuses on de-escalation and, where necessary, safe and appropriate physical intervention. Staff use these strategies within a wider therapeutic framework that promotes emotional regulation, trust, and consistency.
Physical intervention and restraint are only ever used as a last resort, when de-escalation strategies—rooted in relational practice and trauma-informed approaches—have not succeeded, and there is an immediate risk of serious harm to the pupil, to others, or of substantial damage to property. Physical intervention may also be used to address serious classroom disruption where there is no other viable alternative to maintain safety and order.
All decisions to use physical intervention must be made using sound professional judgement. Any physical intervention must always be reasonable, proportionate, and necessary given the circumstances, and carried out in a manner that prioritises the safety, dignity, and emotional wellbeing of the pupil involved.
Where a physical intervention occurs, staff must complete a detailed incident record on Radar before the end of the school day, including the context of the situation, the techniques used, and any injuries sustained. Parents/carers must be informed on the same day, with a clear and sensitive explanation of the incident and the rationale behind the intervention.

Definitions

Physical Interventions (Holds): These are devised to allow staff to be strong in presence but gentle with their touch. The principles of biomechanics are part of all physical interventions to reduce reliance on power and strength.
Guides: The positive application of reasonable force to overcome minimal resistance promoting and encouraging a person’s free movement.
Restraints: The positive application of force to overcome rigorous resistance; completely directing, deciding and controlling a person’s free movement in order to keep people safe. Physical intervention, resulting in restraint can be both exhausting and a distressing experience for pupil and staff. Staff and pupil are provided with support to allow for recovery, reflection and repair.
Contingent touch: Calming, reassuring, comforting contact.

Legal framework

Section 93 of the Education and Inspections Act 2006 allows members of the school’s staff to use reasonable force in order to:

Prevent a pupil from hurting themselves and others.
Prevent a pupil from causing serious damage to property.
Remove a disruptive pupil from a classroom.
Prevent a pupil from leaving a classroom (or other room) where there is a risk to their safety or the safety of others.
Statutory guidance makes it clear that physical intervention and restraint cannot be used as a punishment.
Searches and Use of Reasonable Force
In line with the Education Act 1996 (Section 550ZB) and the Education Act 2011, staff at Gloucester House have the legal authority to search pupils for prohibited items without their consent when there are reasonable grounds to do so. If a pupil refuses to cooperate with a search, staff may use reasonable force, but only to the extent necessary to ensure safety and prevent harm.
Prohibited items include, but are not limited to:

Knives or weapons
Alcohol
Illegal drugs
Stolen property
Tobacco and cigarette papers
Fireworks
Pornographic images
Any item that could be used to cause injury, damage property, or commit an offence
Items banned under school rules
All searches will be conducted respectfully and in accordance with safeguarding principles and government guidance, including the Department for Education’s Use of Reasonable Force guidance (2013) and Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) statutory guidance. Parents or carers will be informed of any search involving reasonable force as soon as possible.

Guidance’s to refer to when conducting searches:

Screening and searches guidance:

https://cscp.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Schools-screening-and-searching-guidance-2024.pdf

Use of reasonable force in schools

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/use-of-reasonable-force-in-schools

Searching, screening and confiscation in schools

http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/searching-screening-and-confiscation

4a. Senior leadership (SLT) responsibilities

The senior leadership team, including the Headteacher and governors, are responsible for ensuring that the use of physical intervention and restraint is consistent with the school’s ethos, policies, and legal responsibilities. They will ensure that:

A positive school culture is maintained, where respectful relationships between staff and pupils reduce the need for physical intervention.
All staff understand the school’s policy on physical intervention and restraint, including their legal powers, responsibilities, and role in applying it.
De-escalation is always the first response unless an immediate physical intervention is necessary to prevent harm.
Staff receive appropriate and ongoing training in behaviour management and Team Teach strategies, so they feel confident to manage challenging situations safely and effectively.
Risks to staff are assessed and managed. Staff should not be expected to place themselves at risk during physical interventions and must have access to medical treatment and time off if injured.
Physical intervention is integrated within the school’s wider behaviour management strategy and aligns with the school’s behaviour and safeguarding policies.

Staff are aware of personalised adjustments or agreed strategies in place for individual pupils with additional needs, such as autism, or mental health conditions.
Staff are supported when physical intervention is necessary, provided their actions are within the bounds of policy and training.
Pupils and staff involved in incidents are offered appropriate follow-up support, including opportunities to reflect and repair.
A clear system is in place to record, report, and monitor all incidents involving physical intervention or restraint.
The physical intervention policy is reviewed at least annually, or more frequently when required, in response to incidents, pupil needs, or national guidance.

4b. Other duties and responsibilities

The Team teach trainer shall ensure that all staff are trained in skills to help them to defuse situations before behaviour becomes challenging and how to de-escalate incidents before they arise. They also ensure that staff are trained in appropriate physical management skills and techniques.
The Team Teach trainer and SLT monitors the use of holds and restraints.
Information on the use of Physical Restraint is reported regularly with the Gloucester House Steering Committee, the Integrated Quality and Performance Review Meeting, the Quality and Safety Committee and the Trust board.
All physical restraints are recorded on Radar. These reports are reviewed to ensure appropriate mitigations, safety considerations, and safeguarding measures in place.
All staff need to be aware that they are responsible for:
Assessing risks (dynamic risk assessment) related to individual circumstances which may arise in the course of their day-to-day duties.
Making judgements about when the use of force is necessary and the degree of force which may be regarded as proportionate to manage a situation.
Recording restraints on Radar and the restraints logbook.

4c. Training requirements

The accredited Team Teach Instructor at Gloucester House is responsible for ensuring that all staff:

Clearly understand this policy and their responsibilities under their duty of care, particularly in relation to the lawful, necessary, and proportionate use of reasonable force where required.
Receive appropriate and role-specific training to equip them to respond safely, confidently, and in accordance with Team Teach’s values and framework.
Have access to Team Teach training across all departments, including education, clinical, and administrative staff, in line with the needs of their role.

Training Pathways

a) A 6-hour (Awareness) course may be appropriate for staff who do not work directly with pupils (e.g. administrative staff) but require an understanding of Team Teach principles.

b) All frontline staff (including Teachers, Progress Support Workers (PSWs), and Clinical Staff who work regularly with pupils) will complete a 12-hour Basic Team Teach course as soon as practicable following appointment.

c) Where appropriate, some staff may receive additional training in advanced physical interventions, based on identified need and risk assessments.

d) Refresher training is delivered regularly through INSET days, group sessions, and incident debriefs or problem-solving discussions to maintain competency and promote reflective practice.

e) Reaccreditation for PSWs, teachers, and clinical staff takes place at least every 12 months, in line with Team Teach guidance, with regular refreshers delivered onsite.

f) Advanced Team Teach Tutors/Instructors are reaccredited every 12–15 months as required, maintaining trainer status and ensuring up-to-date knowledge and practice.

Physical intervention and use of holds
To ensure the welfare of pupils and protect staff from any misplaced allegations, any physical contact between staff and pupils must be appropriate within the context of the teacher–pupil relationship, the pupil’s age, and the circumstances. There are many examples of appropriate, positive physical contact that can be used to reassure, comfort or calm a pupil—such as linking arms or caring guides—as taught through our Team Teach training.
Physical interventions can cover a wide variety of contact with pupils, ranging from positive handling (such as caring guiding) to physical restraint. The level of intervention used, and the degree of force required will be determined by the specific circumstances and the level of assessed risk to the pupil and others.
Generally, low-level physical contact and positive handling can be used to manage most behaviours. For example, gentle contact to comfort, reassure, or guide a pupil away from risk, or to block unsafe movement. These practices are embedded in the Team Teach approach, which prioritises de-escalation and non-restrictive strategies.
In some situations, it may be necessary to use a physical intervention that involves restraint and the use of force. Where force is used, it must be a proportionate and reasonable response to the level of risk, and the decision to use force must be based on a dynamic risk assessment.
Reasonable force should involve “no more force than is needed”, and should only be used for the purpose of restraining or controlling a pupil to:
Safeguard the pupil or others
Prevent serious damage to property
Maintain safety or order in the classroom
What constitutes reasonable force is a matter of professional judgement. However, any use of force must be justifiable, and the paramount consideration is the safety and wellbeing of the pupil. Staff at Gloucester House are trained in Team Teach techniques, which emphasise safe, respectful, and proportionate physical intervention as part of a broader behaviour support strategy.

Meeting Individual Needs of Pupils and Reducing Risk

Due to the nature of our setting, all of our pupils present with some form of challenging behaviour in response to overstimulating environments, stressful situations, or an inability to communicate distress in any other way. As a result, they may be more vulnerable to experiencing physical intervention or restraint—and for some, this experience may be traumatising.

At Gloucester House, we are mindful that pupils may be particularly vulnerable due to (but not limited to) the following:

Learning disabilities, autism or other neurodevelopmental needs
Mental health difficulties
Histories of trauma, including pupils who are looked after, refugees or unaccompanied minors, those with child protection plans, or pupils who have experienced domestic abuse

Under the Equality Act 2010, it is essential that we can demonstrate that reasonable adjustments have been made to ensure that our approach to physical intervention and restraint does not disadvantage these pupils.

Government guidance—Reducing the Need for Restraint and Restrictive Intervention—requires schools to actively reduce the use of physical intervention for vulnerable children. This is also a key consideration in inspections by Ofsted and the CQC:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reducing-the-need-for-restraint-and-restrictive-intervention

As a special school where pupils have high levels of need, it is appropriate to adopt a bespoke policy which reflects the specific needs of our pupils, as outlined in this guidance.

We must be able to demonstrate that the individual needs of vulnerable pupils are considered and that our approach is tailored to reduce the risk of discrimination. Our behaviour management practices must uphold the rights, safety and dignity of all pupils and work in partnership with parents and carers to reduce the need for physical intervention and restraint.

All pupils at Gloucester House have a Positive Handling Plan (PHP) in place. These are personalised, proactive plans designed to support regulation and safety, and to guide staff responses when behaviour presents a risk. They are reviewed termly by staff and discussed at Inset days and whole team meetings. These are shared and signed by parents/carers and the pupils.

In addition, the following principles apply:

PHPs are developed in collaboration with the pupil and their parents/carers and are be reviewed regularly.
Each PHP includes a graduated response to behaviour, outlining preventative strategies, de-escalation techniques (in line with Team Teach), and specific responses should the behaviour escalate.
The plan is informed by an assessment of the pupil’s needs, including known triggers, strategies to maintain regulation, and approaches that help avoid escalation.
If restrictive interventions may be necessary, the types of intervention are clearly outlined and agreed upon in advance. The PHP will detail the circumstances under which such interventions may be used.
Where the use of withdrawal or seclusion is identified, this is clearly recorded in the PHP, along with protocols for use, and shared with parents/carers to ensure full understanding and consent.

Planning and prevention
- Whole school

At Gloucester House, we recognise the importance of being proactive in identifying situations and circumstances that may lead to behaviours requiring physical intervention. As a school supporting pupils with significant SEMH needs, we take active steps to minimise risk and prevent incidents from escalating.

The Senior Leadership Team (SLT), in partnership with staff, regularly reviews the school environment and wider context to identify and address potential triggers for dysregulation or crisis.

As part of this risk-reduction approach, we consider:

Whether there is a weapon involved.
Any known or emerging safeguarding risks, including gang involvement or exploitation.
The pupil’s characteristic ways of responding to stress and authority.
Knowledge of the pupil’s performance, including the Gloucester House education, health and care plans and PHPs.
Known environmental stressors for individual vulnerable pupils.
The current context.
The confidence, competence and self-control of the staff involved.
The availability of Team Teach trained staff.
The presence of other pupils.
Level of understanding.
Age.
Personal history.
Equality-based risks, including those linked to gender, race, culture, neurodiversity, sexuality or disability.
The known intention of the pupil.
Cultural influences.
Whether the pupil is taking prescribed medication or under the influence of drugs.
The adequacy of supervision arrangements, including staffing ratios and zoning.
The general school environment, including the identification of any potential “hot spots” where incidents are more likely to occur.
Specific times of day that may present challenges, such as transitions, break/lunch times, or the end of the day.
Risk factors associated with off-site learning or school trips.

Each of these considerations informs a wider whole-school risk assessment strategy that is regularly reviewed.

We address:

The nature of the risk and the potential emotional and physical impact on pupils.
The likelihood of incidents occurring in particular settings or at specific times.
Adjustments or additional supports needed for vulnerable pupils, including environmental or relational changes.
Preventative actions, such as adapted routines, increased staffing, or enhanced de-escalation opportunities.
Planned responses to incidents, including use of Team Teach principles to reduce harm and prioritise safety for all.

This forms part of our commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and predictable environment where pupils feel secure and are supported to self-regulate and engage positively.

Staff should be alert to situations and circumstances that can lead to incidents that may require physical intervention and take active steps to avoid issues escalating.

The SLT and staff will regularly review environmental factors within the school that may lead to incidents in the school or elsewhere and should consider:

The general school environment and any potential hot-spots.
Any difficulties that may arise at different times of the day, ie: breaks.
Any issues around supervision of pupils.
Specific environmental factors for vulnerable pupils.
Specific risks related to gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality or disability.
Specific risks related to gang activity.
Specific risks off-site/school trips.

This should address:

The nature of the risk and likely impact on pupils.
The likelihood of incidents.
Actions and/or reasonable adjustments for pupils.
Actions to be taken to avoid incidents and reduce risk.
Actions to be taken in the event of an incident in order to reduce risk to staff and pupils

6.2 Individual Pupils

All pupils at Gloucester House—given the nature of their SEMH needs—are at heightened risk of experiencing physical intervention. In recognition of this, every pupil has an individual Positive Handling Plan (PHP), which is informed by a comprehensive assessment of their specific needs, risks, and known triggers.

Where a pupil requires physical intervention on several occasions, their PHP will be reviewed to reflect any emerging patterns, with a view to reducing the frequency and intensity of future incidents. PHPs are co-produced with parents/carers and the pupil (where appropriate), and aim to foster safety, predictability and consistency in response.

If it is known that physical intervention involving force or restraint may be required as part of a pupil’s regulation support, this must be planned in advance. Such planning will include the creation or revision of the PHP and an associated risk assessment.

The risk assessment considers:

The risk to the pupil and others posed by their behaviour
The potential risks involved in the use of physical intervention, including physical and emotional harm
The risks of not intervening, including safeguarding concerns or continued harm
The least restrictive form of intervention that may be used, in line with Team Teach principles

Each Positive Handling Plan will:

Identify triggers or antecedents to behaviours that may result in the need for physical intervention
Include any relevant background information, such as experiences of trauma, attachment needs, or safeguarding history
Set out specific de-escalation strategies, including preferred communication, sensory needs, and self-regulation tools
Clearly state what Team Teach strategies or physical interventions may be used, ensuring they are safe, appropriate and do not result in injury to the pupil, staff, or others
Include a process for reviewing incidents, detailing who is responsible, what will be considered, and how learning will be captured and used to inform future practice

Planned intervention is considered a positive, proactive approach. It reflects our commitment to safeguarding pupils while promoting dignity, consistency and transparency. Importantly, it also enables pupils to be active participants in shaping how they are supported when in distress.

7.1 Initial Consideration

At Gloucester House, staff trained in Team Teach must quickly assess a situation to decide if immediate intervention is needed to prevent harm. Staff should use their professional judgement to determine whether physical intervention is necessary and what level of force is appropriate. Any intervention must be reasonable, proportionate, and in the best interests of the pupil. Staff should be clear on why the intervention is justified and what the intended outcome is, for example, preventing a pupil from leaving a safe space or stopping harm to another. Staff must also consider the risks of not acting, as failing to intervene, when necessary, could result in serious harm and may be seen as a failure in the school’s duty of care.

7.2 De-escalation

At Gloucester House, de-escalation strategies should be used as the first response wherever possible. Staff should:

Make the pupil and others aware that they are taking control of the situation
Ask other pupils to leave the area to help calm the environment
Call for assistance from another staff member if needed
Remain calm, speak slowly and clearly, and offer reassurance
Use a low, steady tone of voice and non-threatening body language
Use minimal positive handling to guide the pupil to safety, if appropriate
Be aware of their own emotional state and avoid escalating the situation
If the pupil is pacing, avoid mirroring their behaviour — remain still and calm
Respect the pupil’s personal space and maintain a safe distance
Offer clear choices to help the pupil regain control and save face
Tailor responses to the individual pupil’s SEND and known needs

Where a pupil is already at risk of harm, immediate action may be necessary. However, many of the above strategies should still be used during any physical intervention to support the pupil and reduce distress.

7.3 Use of Force and Restraint

All staff have a duty of care and the authority to use physical intervention and restraint when necessary. Staff should request assistance if they believe help is needed. Staff should not act alone when assistance is available when carrying out a physical intervention.

Use of force must be reasonable, proportionate, and necessary. Restraint should only be used for as long as needed. Ideally, staff should not manage restraint alone for long; others should attend as soon as possible to reduce risk.

Where possible, staff should warn the pupil calmly that restraint may be used and give them an opportunity to comply with instructions to avoid it. During restraint, staff should remain calm, talking to the pupil to reassure and explain what is happening and why.

The restraint should only involve the minimum force necessary to restrict movement and be temporary until the risk has passed. It should not restrict breathing or blood supply, avoid bringing the pupil to the ground unless in a seated floor hold, and must not include any contact that could amount to assault.

Front, Ground and recovery (FGH) holds are not used in Gloucester House.

It is accepted that on some occasions, it is impossible to take action without causing discomfort. Any pain caused will be accidental and is not used as a means of control. The following are not permitted:

Intentional or malicious pain inflicted on a pupil
Using restraint as a punishment
Hitting a pupil
Forcing a pupil’s arm behind the back
Twisting limbs
Sitting on a pupil
Any restraint which restricts circulation or breathing
Any holding that could reasonably be interpreted as being sexually invasive

7.4 Withdrawal and the use of closed doors:

Withdrawal involves supporting a pupil to move away from a situation where they are experiencing heightened distress or difficulty coping, to a safer, calmer environment where they are more likely to regain emotional regulation. A key aspect of withdrawal is that staff remain actively involved in supporting and monitoring the pupil throughout, to promote recovery and reduce risk.

Wherever possible, the preferred method of monitoring is in-person support within the same space, as this allows staff to provide verbal and non-verbal reassurance. However, this may not always be appropriate — for example, if the pupil requests space or if close proximity is escalating their distress. In such instances, staff must remain close enough to maintain visual or auditory contact and be ready to offer support when appropriate.

Doors should not be locked to prevent a pupil from leaving an area, except in legally defined, secure settings. However, in rare and exceptional circumstances, staff may temporarily restrict egress through a doorway, if a dynamic risk assessment indicates that immediate harm could occur to the pupil or others. This action must always be reasonable, necessary, and proportionate, in line with relevant legislation and Team Teach principles.

Examples may include:

A pupil is in a heightened state and may cause harm to themselves or others if allowed to leave the room
A staff member is at risk of assault if the pupil were to exit the room in that moment

In such cases:

Staff must assess whether it is safe and appropriate to remain in the room with the pupil
If not, staff must maintain visual contact (wherever possible) and provide calm, non-threatening verbal support from outside the room
Staff should use Team Teach-approved de-escalation scripts and strategies to offer emotional containment and reassurance
Sensory regulation tools and strategies should be made available where appropriate, in line with the pupil’s Positive Handling Plan (PHP) and Sensory Profile
Holding a door closed should only ever be a temporary, last-resort measure, justified by a clear and immediate safeguarding concern. This must be recorded, monitored in real-time, and reported to the on-call team or a senior leader (SLT) immediately.
The situation must be reviewed continually, and staff should open the door or re-enter the space at the earliest safe opportunity.
Consideration should be given to staff rotation, to ensure emotional regulation is maintained and the risk of escalation is reduced.
Parents/carers must be informed of any incident involving withdrawal or restrictive practice in a timely and appropriate manner.

Example of staff scripts used during withdrawals:

“I can see this is really hard for you right now. I’m going to step outside the room to give you some space and help keep us both safe. I’ll stay close by and keep talking to you through the door. I’ll also be giving you [a drink/fidget/your sensory item] to help you feel more settled, and as soon as it feels safe, I’ll come back in to be with you.”

“It looks like it’s hard to feel safe in your body right now. If you’re able to sit on the chair or move to a calm space, I’ll be able to come back in and support you more closely.”

“I really want to come back in and support you. As soon as it feels safe for both of us, I’ll come back in to be with you.”

Use of Restriction and Deprivation of Liberty

There is no absolute legal threshold that clearly distinguishes between restriction of liberty (which may be lawful in certain circumstances) and deprivation of liberty (which is not, outside of specific legal frameworks such as secure accommodation). However, as a guiding principle, any use of restriction or restraint must always involve:

The minimum level of force
The least restrictive option available
The shortest duration necessary to reduce risk

These principles ensure that any intervention remains reasonable, necessary, and proportionate, in line with both legislation and Team Teach guidance.

Following Incidents

8.1 Recording and Reporting Incidents

Class debriefs, RADAR incident report forms, and the Restraint Logbook are used to record all holds and incidents. Serious incidents involving physical intervention must be recorded within 24 hours and include details such as the time and date of the incident, staff and pupils involved, events leading up to it, the reason for intervention, a description of the hold used including force and duration, and the outcome including any injuries sustained. Records should also note any post-incident support provided and details of parent/carer communication. These records are monitored by the Team Teach Tutor, Clinical Team, and Senior Leadership Team (SLT). A summary is reported to the Gloucester House Steering Committee.

The Clinical Team and SLT analyse the monitoring data to identify trends or behaviours of concern. These are then addressed in the appropriate forums: Core Teams for class-based matters, Pupil Welfare Meetings for clinical concerns, Whole Team Meetings for wider issues, or SLT meetings for significant concerns.

Follow-up after debriefs and morning briefings the following day provides dedicated space and opportunity to ensure appropriate support is arranged for both pupil and staff involved.

The Headteacher must be informed immediately to determine any further action. The Designated Safeguarding Lead should be notified if safeguarding concerns arise.

8.2 Support Following Incidents

At Gloucester House, we recognise that physical intervention carries inherent risks of injury and can be upsetting for both our pupils and staff. We are committed to providing clear procedures that allow time and space for everyone involved to recover and reflect after incidents. This approach supports emotional wellbeing, helps individuals process their experiences, and enables us to learn and continually improve our practice.

Where medical attention is required, it will be provided promptly and sensitively. We also ensure that pupils and staff have the opportunity to speak with a trusted member of the team who was not involved in the incident (if requested), giving them a safe space to discuss what happened and express their feelings.

8.3 Holds/restraints

Holds and restraints are recorded daily on Radar. All restraints are documented in the Restraint Logbook by every staff member involved. These records are shared with parents and carers and are monitored regularly by the Headteacher, and the Team Teach lead and Clincal Lead.
Low-level physical interventions where no restrictive holds are used—such as the Team Teach ‘Friendly Hold’ to gently guide a pupil—are recorded on the internal behaviour system.
Holds and restraints are monitored weekly by the Headteacher and shared with staff and Case Coordinators to identify any emerging patterns or concerns.
Additionally, holds and restraints are reviewed on a termly basis. This comprehensive monitoring allows us to address both strategic and individual issues. Concerns identified can then be managed through whole team meetings, child reviews, the Self-Evaluation Form (SEF), individual risk assessments, Positive Handling Plans, daily targets, Gloucester House Education, Health and Care Plan targets, and targeted Team Teach refresher training.
Risk assessments are written for all pupils, with additional assessments conducted for those who present risks or are involved in Off Site Visits (OSVs).

9. Complaints and Allegations

The school’s complaints policy must explain how pupils and parents can raise concerns about physical intervention or restraint.

Allegations against staff will be managed according to Camden Safeguarding Children Partnership guidance and referred to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Reasonable force used in line with policy will be considered in investigations. Staff must understand that force can only be used within the school’s policy parameters; any deviation may leave them vulnerable to complaints or allegations.

Review	Date
Last review	May 2025
Next review	May 2026