Physical intervention in schools guidance consultation

Overall as an authority we feel the guidance is logical and laid out well and is mainly easy to understand - in terms of prevention and support to avoid physical restraint, definitions, etc although there are some noteable exceptions which we still feel are a little unclear. Time Out is remains unclear in terms of what is meant by it (see below)

The role of the EP could also be widened out from Functional behavioural analysis to a broader role of helping to understand the context, etc to help distressed behaviour escalating.

We surveyed the views of all our HTs and senior managers in groups and the overall outcome of whether the definitions were clear was split down the middle. Overall - many of the definitions are clearer than they were previously particularly the distinction between physical intervention and physical restraint. Seclusion is also clearer than it was previously but some felt it could still be confused with Time out. Time out is the least clear as it was felt that practitioners often saw this practice as supportive rather than punitive and as a method of helping to de-escalating the situation by walking and talking for example. Overall many people felt that examples of practice would help clarify many of these definitions or training and discussion/support would be required to help clarify.

Safeguards are overall comprehensive but felt it would be helpful to be very explicit about when a risk assessment should be completed and what this might entail. Also - more support/guidance on how to safeguard with yp/incidents where there hasnt been previous planning/supports put in place and incident happens out of the blue. Also safeguards for staff mentioned a few times. A safeguard around the skills/knowledge/types of training/support staff might require should be outlined clearly.

There is a concern around bureaucracy here and the need to avoid duplication of recording processes, if there are records made in pastoral notes, etc - can these be transposed to a form. It was felt that the detail given in the information in the recording section was detailed and comprehensive but served more as a prompt sheet rather than everything to be recorded on a form. There should also be an option to only selectively complete some sections of a form depending on the nature of an incident - if this can be done electronically so that it takes you to the right sections that would be helpful. Some training or support around the recording aspect would also be helpful. Recording or post incident support should also include how to support distressed staff who have been part of incidents.

Examples of the definitions in practice and in the context of schools, ASN, secondary, primary and in particular early years which is not really mentioned and doesnt seem to apply in the guidance. Training and support would be helpful. Staff groups should discuss the implications of this guidance in their own context. Time is an issue, particularly in terms of post incident support and recording so it would be helpful to give guidance on how school staff can make time to take this forward.

• P26 Post incident learning review – although it is defined here, possible that this may be confused with an education learning re view rather than way to prevent re-occurrence of distress – different name needed?
• P13 45 – include reference to PACEful approaches here?
• P18 61 – post restraint – reference to Restorative approaches needed
• EP role – linked to functional behavioural analysis ( P26 / 89), however role can be much more than this e.g
P26 89 – as per p12 44 – think about what is happening in child’s surrounding environments (Bronfenbrenner, 1979)

Possibly add flowchart/protocols that show the decision making tree around prevention/de-escalation/physical intervention/restraint/post incident learning and recording.