What the 2019 restraint reduction guidance said — advice for schools
The 2019 government guidance, Reducing the Need for Restraint and Restrictive Intervention, is one of the most important modern documents for schools and services supporting children and young people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions and mental health difficulties. Its purpose is not simply to clarify when restraint may be lawful. Its deeper purpose is […]
What the DfE reasonable force guidance said — advice for schools
The Department for Education’s Use of reasonable force: advice for headteachers, staff and governing bodies is a concise but influential document explaining the legal power school staff have to use reasonable force in England. Although the GOV.UK page now notes that replacement guidance comes into effect from 1 April 2026, the 2013/2015 document remains important […]
Schools being too strict?
Schools being too strict? This piece was prompted by the BBC’s report on a pupil who spent more than half a school year in an isolation booth (BBC News). Strictness without dignity is not discipline I was asked this week to look at the BBC’s report on a pupil who spent more than half a […]
What UAE schools told us after a week of Positive Handling training
What UAE schools told us after a week of Positive Handling training Last week, Gerard O’Dea delivered a series of Positive Handling and crisis response training sessions for UAE schools, including Safa Community School, Safa British School, Aspen Heights British School, DESS, Emirates International School and Al Salam Private School. Across many feedback submissions, the […]
Restraint and seclusion reporting: what the 2026 regulations mean in daily school life
Restraint and seclusion reporting: what the 2025 regulations mean in daily school life The 2026 DfE guidance sits alongside statutory recording and reporting duties, including the Seclusion and Restraint Regulations 2025. For schools, the practical message is clear: restraint and seclusion incidents must be recorded and parents informed promptly, even where plans already exist. That […]
The 2026 DfE Guidance on Restrictive Interventions: What School Leaders Should Be Reviewing Now
The new 2026 DfE restrictive interventions guidance changes what schools must document, record and review. We have been asked repeatedly over the last few weeks to review school policies against it, and the pattern is now clear. The pattern is now clear. Most schools are not starting from nothing. They already have behaviour policies, positive […]