Revised use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions in schools guidance

Overview

We're seeking views on the revised ‘Use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions in schools’ guidance. 

Why your views matter

This Government firmly believes that every child and young person should know that success can belong to them, and that is why we must break down all barriers to opportunity. This includes focusing on high and rising standards in education, so everyone can enjoy the best start in life.

We're seeking your views on whether the revised 'Use of reasonable force and other restrictive interventions in schools' guidance supports schools to:

• Meet the new statutory requirement to record every significant incident of use of force and report these incidents to the parents of the pupils involved, effective from September 2025.
• Proactively minimise the need to use reasonable force and other restrictive interventions through prevention, de-escalation and analysing data to support improvement planning.
• Support staff to understand when and how to use force or other restrictive interventions safely and lawfully.
• Support staff who work with pupils with special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
• Meet their safeguarding duties towards staff and pupils.