Use of Reasonable Force in Schools: New Guidance from April 2026

From 1 April 2026, the Department for Education’s existing guidance, Use of Reasonable Force in Schools, will cease to have effect. It will be replaced by new guidance titled “Restrictive interventions, including the use of reasonable force, in schools” (the New Guidance).

Statutory Duties to Report to Parents

The New Guidance introduces a legal duty to report incidents involving reasonable force, restraint or seclusion to parents in writing as soon as practicable, and no later than the same day, subject to limited statutory exceptions.

Parent reports must include:

• Time, date, location and duration of the intervention;

• Why it was assessed as necessary;

• Type and degree of force or restraint used; and

• Details of any injuries sustained.

In cases of seclusion or non-force restraint:

• Maintained schools must provide parents with a copy of the written record; and

• Academies, independent schools and non-maintained special schools must provide written information about the incident.

The duty to report does not apply where:

• The pupil is aged 20 or over, or

• Reporting would be likely to result in serious harm, in which case reporting should be made to a parent where safe to do so, or otherwise to the relevant local authority.

Best practice also includes offering parents a follow-up discussion after the incident.

Prevention and De-escalation: A Culture Shift

A key feature of the New Guidance is its prevention-first approach. Schools are expected to move beyond focusing solely on how and when force can be used, towards a whole-school culture that reduces the need for restrictive interventions.

Schools must have a restrictive interventions policy (which may form part of the behaviour policy) that:

• Emphasises minimising the use of restrictive interventions;

• Sets out whole-school and individual prevention and de-escalation strategies; and

• Aligns with legal duties on recording, reporting and equality.

Schools are also encouraged to:

• Review behaviour incidents promptly to identify patterns or trends; and

• Use post-incident debriefs, led where possible by someone not directly involved, to support wellbeing, repair relationships and improve practice.

While staff must be appropriately trained, the guidance does not prescribe training standards, instead leaving decisions to school leaders based on local context and need.

Implications for Pupils with SEND

The New Guidance recognises that pupils with SEND may display behaviours linked to distress, anxiety, sensory overload, pain or confusion, and may be disproportionately affected by restrictive interventions.

Schools are expected to:

• Understand individual triggers and needs;

• Work closely with parents and specialists;

• Develop behaviour support and risk management plans;

• Make reasonable adjustments and create inclusive environments; and

• Ensure restrictive interventions are never used as a substitute for appropriate SEND provision.

What should schools do now?

The New Guidance comes into force on 1 April 2026, with the existing guidance remaining in place until 31 March 2026.

Ahead of implementation, schools should:

• Review and update behaviour and restrictive interventions policies;

• Ensure systems are in place for mandatory recording and reporting;

• Provide appropriate staff training;

• Ensure governing bodies have oversight through regular data review; and

• Embed a culture of prevention, de-escalation and pupil welfare.

Taking early action will help schools meet their new legal obligations and support safer, more consistent practice across their communities.

Additional Resources

Handsam Quick Guide PD04 Justifiable Restrain

DfE: Searching, Screening and Confiscation: Advice for Schools

HSE: Incident Reporting in Schools (Accidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences) (EDIS1)

HSE: Investigating Accidents and Incidents (HSG245)

Statutory Guidance

While much of the New Guidance is non-statutory, it includes statutory guidance issued under section 93A of the Education and Inspections Act 2006, which schools must have regard to, particularly in relation to the recording and reporting of significant incidents involving the use of force, restraint or seclusion.

Schools should therefore take steps now to understand the changes and prepare for compliance ahead of April 2026.

Why has the Guidance Been Replaced?

The New Guidance has been introduced to:

• Establish new statutory duties to record and report the use of reasonable force and seclusion;

• Clarify and strengthen expectations around lawful, proportionate and safe use of restrictive interventions;

• Introduce clearer definitions and a more structured decision-making framework;

• Place a stronger emphasis on prevention, de-escalation and pupil welfare, particularly for pupils with SEND; and

• Address gaps in the previous guidance, especially around seclusion and non-physical restraint.

Clearer Definitions: Restrictive Interventions Explained

The New Guidance introduces clearer terminology and treats “restrictive interventions” as an umbrella concept covering both physical and non-physical measures:

Restrictive intervention

• Any action taken to prevent, restrict or subdue movement of a pupil’s body, or part of their body, including physical and non-physical measures.

Restraint

• A non-disciplinary intervention that immobilises a pupil or limits movement. This may involve direct physical contact (for example, holding a pupil’s arms) or non-force restraint (such as removing a walking aid).

Seclusion

• A non-disciplinary intervention that involves keeping a pupil confined away from others and preventing them from leaving, whether by physical barriers, blocking exits or fear of punishment. Seclusion must only be used as a safety measure, requires continuous supervision, and must stop as soon as the immediate risk has reduced.

Other physical contact (non-restrictive)

• The guidance reaffirms that schools should not operate “no contact” policies and clarifies that everyday, appropriate contact (for example first aid, guiding, escorting, comforting or demonstrating techniques) does not constitute a restrictive intervention.

Crucially, the New Guidance is explicit that restrictive interventions must never be used as punishment, to enforce compliance, or as part of routine behaviour management. Any use of force must be lawful, necessary, proportionate and reasonable, and must stop once the risk has passed.

A New Core Test: Necessity, Proportionality and Pupil Welfare

The New Guidance introduces a structured three-part test that staff must apply when considering restrictive interventions:

1. Necessity – Have other, less restrictive strategies been tried or considered?

2. Proportionality – Is the intervention likely to reduce risk rather than escalate it?

3. Pupil welfare – Does the intervention take account of the pupil’s needs, dignity, wellbeing and equality considerations?

Staff are expected to continually reassess during an intervention and reduce or stop it wherever possible. This represents a shift from the previous guidance, which relied more heavily on general professional judgement without the same explicit welfare-based framework.

Seclusion: new guidance and safeguards

Seclusion did not feature in the previous Use of Reasonable Force guidance. The New Guidance makes clear that:

• Seclusion should only be used where a pupil is experiencing high levels of emotional or behavioural dysregulation;

• It is a safety response, not a disciplinary sanction;

• Pupils must be able to leave as soon as the immediate risk of harm reduces;

• Seclusion must never be threatened as punishment;

• The seclusion area must not feel intimidating or threatening; and

• Pupils must be supervised at all times.

Statutory duties to record incidents

Schools must create a written record of each significant incident involving reasonable force, restraint (including non-force restraint) or seclusion. Records must be completed as soon as practicable, ideally on the same day, by the staff involved.

As a minimum, records must include:

• Names of the pupil and staff directly involved;

• Relevant pupil needs or circumstances, including SEND and SEN status code;

• Time, date, location and approximate duration;

• Antecedents or known triggers, and any prevention or de-escalation strategies used;

• Type and degree of force or restraint applied;

• Why the intervention was deemed necessary;

• Details of any injuries; and

• Any post-incident support provided.

The new guidance is available to download HERE or via the HANDSAM SYSTEM