“You hope you will never have to use restraint, but if your duty of care leaves you with little choice: know your school procedure and record everything”
An excellent article about the use of force for restraint in schools by solicitor Jade Kent.
http://schoolsweek.co.uk/restraint-in-school-what-the-law-says/
Author on the use of force with children Mark Dawes adds the following:
“In addition, have a clear intervention policy agreed by the Board of Governors, teaching staff, safeguarding representatives and co-operative external agencies (such as the police or safeguarding teams)and parents.
Then communicate the policy to all staff and provide suitable and sufficient training.
In addition and where necessary, have specific behavioural management plans in place for specific children who may present behaviour that challenges that are agreed by a ‘multi-disciplinary’ team so that any required foreseeable restraint of a child can be appropriately [dealt] with.”
We continue to provide leading Positive Handling training to schools all over the country, helping staff to have the knowledge, skill and judgement needed to protect themselves and the children they work with.