Restrictive interventions in schools: New legal duties explained

The changes apply to all schools in England and come into force on 1 April 2026. Schools should now be reviewing their policies, procedures and training to ensure they are prepared.

What has changed?

There are two important developments:

1. New legal duties on recording and reporting

New regulations - the Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2025 - and amendments to the Education and Inspections Act 2006, which come into force on 1 April 2026, impose duties on schools to ensure that incidents involving:

• the use of reasonable force
• seclusion
• restraint (including non-force related restraint)

are properly recorded and reported to parents.

These regulations sit alongside existing powers to use reasonable force and, for independent schools, are reflected through amendments to the Independent School Standards.

2. Updated DfE guidance for all schools

The section of the guidance related to recording and reporting duties is statutory, while the rest of the guidance is non-statutory. The revised guidance replaces earlier advice and:

• Provides additional clarification on the use of reasonable force to help school staff use this power safely and appropriately
• Provides clear advice on the use of seclusion (which was not covered previously)
• Emphasises prevention, de-escalation and minimising the need for restrictive interventions
• Strengthens expectations around SEND, safeguarding and leadership oversight
• Sets out what schools should record and share with parents following incidents.

What must schools record and report?

Schools must have procedures in place to ensure that each significant incident in which a member of staff uses force on a pupil, and each incident of seclusion or restraint, is recorded in writing as soon as practicable (and in any event that same day). As a minimum, records should include:

• The name of the pupil and member(s) of staff involved
• The pupil's needs or circumstances (including SEND)
• When and where the incident took place and how long it lasted
• What happened, why the intervention was considered necessary, and what de-escalation was attempted first
• The type and degree of force used (if any)
• Details of any injuries and follow-up support.

Parents must be provided with written information about the incident the same day wherever possible, even where restrictive interventions form part of an agreed behaviour support plan for the child.

What do schools need to do now?

To prepare for the changes on 1 April 2026, schools should:

• Put clear recording and reporting systems in place
  Staff should understand what must be recorded, how and when, and how parents should be informed. Creating templates for this may be useful.
• Review and update policies
  Behaviour, safeguarding and restraint policies should be updated to reflect these changes. A standalone restrictive intervention policy is not required but may be helpful.
• Training
  Staff training should cover the lawful use of force, de-escalation, SEND considerations, safeguarding links and the new recording and reporting duties. Consideration should be given to communications with parents about the changes.
• Focus on prevention and oversight
  Schools should analyse incident data, identify patterns (including any disproportionate impact) and use learning to reduce reliance on restrictive interventions.

How can we help?

We can assist schools with policy development or the provision of templates, training and/or practical advice on the management of pupil behaviour.

---

For more information or advice please contact Tabitha Cave in our Independent Schools team.