School Restraint and Seclusion in England: What Must Parents Be Told in 2026?
Updated: Oct 11
If school staff use significant force, the school must have a procedure to record the incident and tell the pupil's parents as soon as practicable. Schools should endeavour to make the record and notify parents no later than the same day. From 1 April 2026, there are also separate recording and reporting duties for seclusion and restraint, including restraint without physical contact. Ask what happened, how the school classified it and what support will change.
Which incidents are covered?
The Department for Education's guidance for schools in England took effect on 1 April 2026. It defines a significant incident of force as one that goes beyond appropriate physical contact, such as ordinary guidance or comfort. It also explains seclusion: confining a pupil away from others and preventing them from leaving, including by blocking an exit or making them believe leaving will bring punishment. Restraint can limit movement with or without direct contact; removing a walking aid is one example of the latter.
Reasonable force is available to school staff in limited circumstances. It must be no more than necessary for the shortest necessary time. Force must never be used as punishment. The guidance says seclusion should only be a safety measure to protect others from harm when a pupil is highly dysregulated; it is not a disciplinary response. If there is injury or immediate danger, seek medical or safeguarding help promptly.
What should be recorded, and when?
For a significant use of force, a written record must be made as soon as practicable; the staff involved should endeavour to do it on the same day. The DfE says schools should record the people involved; the pupil's relevant needs; date, time, place and approximate duration; what led up to the event; potential triggers; prevention or de-escalation attempted; the force used and why it was judged necessary; any injuries; and support afterwards.
Seclusion and restraint incidents have separate recording procedures under the 2025 Regulations explained in the same DfE guidance. A school should not omit a record because the intervention had been agreed in advance with parents.
When must parents be told?
Schools must have a procedure to report significant force to parents as soon as practicable and should endeavour to do so no later than the same day. The written information should include when and where it happened, approximate duration, why force was judged necessary, the type and degree of force, and any injuries. For seclusion and restraint, parents must likewise be informed as soon as practicable, with the same-day aim. The form of the report varies by school type; check the DfE guidance.
The guidance identifies narrow exceptions: a pupil aged 20 or over, or where reporting to a parent appears likely to cause serious harm. In the latter case, staff must report to another parent where safe or, if none, the relevant local authority. The same-day wording is an aim, not an absolute statutory deadline. Parents can still reasonably ask when the record was completed, when they were informed and why any delay occurred.
What if my child has an EHCP or behaviour support plan?
The reporting duties still apply. For a pupil with SEND, the DfE asks schools to consider pain, sensory overload, fear, unfamiliar environments and communication barriers, and to work with the pupil, parents and professionals on prevention and de-escalation. A plan should describe adjustments and ways to communicate needs, and be reviewed periodically and after a significant incident. The existence of a plan does not make every later intervention necessary or proportionate.
For example, if a crowded transition reliably overwhelms a pupil, the useful review is more than a count of incidents: it examines the environment, early signs, staff communication, alternatives tried, the pupil's account and whether a quieter transition helps. This is an illustrative example, not an assessment of any individual child.
What can a parent or school ask next?
What is the factual written record, and how was the incident classified?
What immediate health, emotional and safeguarding checks took place?
What did the pupil communicate before, during and afterwards?
Which less restrictive options were tried, and why was the chosen response necessary?
Did staff follow the existing risk assessment, EHCP provision and support plan?
Who will agree any change with the child and family, by when, and how will it be reviewed?
A calm follow-up meeting can separate the immediate safety decision from learning that prevents repetition. If there is an unresolved safeguarding concern, use the school's safeguarding process and seek the appropriate independent advice.
Practical support
Looking Glass Care offers one hour of EHCP and SEND support for £35, including preparation of agreed documents. The SEND Incident Analysis Workbook can help families build a dated chronology and identify adjustments. Our Williamson Method guide offers a person-centred way to ask what behaviour may communicate; it is Looking Glass Care's approach, not statutory guidance or a substitute for professional safeguarding, clinical or legal advice.
Official source: DfE, Restrictive interventions, including use of reasonable force, in schools (effective 1 April 2026).
Useful resources for this topic
If you would like a practical record to use alongside this article, the resources below explain their scope, format and price. Choose only the material that fits your circumstances; a completed template is a starting point for action and review.
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