Recording Physical Intervention in Children's Homes

Recording physical intervention in children's homes is a legal requirement under the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015. Every incident must be documented promptly, in sufficient detail to allow meaningful review. Good recording is not a bureaucratic exercise: it is the primary tool through which homes identify patterns, protect children, support staff, and demonstrate to Ofsted that physical intervention is being monitored and reduced.

What the law requires you to record

The Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 do not prescribe a single format for physical intervention records, but they are clear about the substance. The record must be sufficient to allow a reviewer to understand what happened, why physical intervention was used, what techniques were applied, and what the outcome was for the child.

A compliant record should include:

• The date, time, and location of the incident.
• The name of the child and the names of all staff involved.
• A description of the events leading to the intervention, including the behaviour of concern that created the risk of injury or serious property damage.
• The de-escalation strategies attempted before physical intervention was used.
• The specific techniques used and the duration of the intervention.
• Any injuries sustained by the child or by staff, including photographs and a body map.
• The child's response during and immediately after the intervention.
• The post-incident review, including the child's account.
• The signature of the recording staff member and the reviewing manager.

Recording should be completed as soon as possible after the incident, while details are fresh. Delay leads to inaccuracy, and inaccurate records are almost always worse than no records at all under inspection. Staff working in children's residential homes benefit from training that treats recording as a skill, not an afterthought.

Regulation 35: notification requirements

Regulation 35 of the Children's Homes (England) Regulations 2015 governs the notification of significant events, including physical intervention incidents. Understanding which notifications are required and when is essential for registered managers.

Who must be notified

After a physical intervention incident, the registered manager (or the person in charge in the manager's absence) must notify:

• Ofsted, via the online notification portal.
• The placing local authority (the authority responsible for the child's placement).
• The child's parents or carers, unless there is a specific reason recorded in the child's care plan why this would not be in the child's interests.

Notification timescales

Regulation 35 requires notification to Ofsted within 24 hours of the incident becoming known to the manager. Notifications to the placing authority and parents should follow as soon as practicable. Homes that delay Ofsted notifications, or that fail to notify altogether, risk enforcement action regardless of how well the incident itself was managed.

What the Ofsted notification must include

The Ofsted notification form asks for information about the nature of the incident, the child's circumstances, and the home's immediate response. It does not replace the internal incident record but should be consistent with it. Discrepancies between the Ofsted notification and the internal record can undermine a home's credibility on inspection.

Our guide to physical intervention training in children's homes covers how good training programmes embed regulatory requirements into staff practice from the outset.

Body maps: purpose and best practice

A body map is a diagram of the human body, front and back, on which staff mark any physical contact during an intervention and any resultant marks or injuries. Body maps serve two purposes: they provide an accurate record of what occurred, and they provide safeguarding evidence if the incident is later subject to formal review or investigation.

Completing body maps accurately

Staff should complete the body map as part of the incident record, as close to the incident time as possible. The map should show:

• The areas of the child's body where holds or restraint techniques were applied.
• Any redness, bruising, scratches, or other marks present after the intervention.
• Any pre-existing marks that are relevant (to distinguish from intervention-related marks).

Where possible, the child should be involved in completing or reviewing the body map. This supports the child's sense of agency, creates a more accurate record, and can begin the process of post-incident discussion. Staff should approach this sensitively, explaining what the map is for and why it matters.

Photography

Where marks or injuries are visible, photography provides a more detailed record than a diagram alone. Homes should have a clear policy for consent and storage of such photographs, consistent with their GDPR obligations. Photographs should be taken by a same-gender member of staff where possible, and the child's dignity must be maintained throughout.

Regulation 21: involving children in post-incident discussions

Regulation 21 of the Children's Homes Regulations 2015 requires that children are given the opportunity to participate in decisions about their care. Applied to physical intervention, this means children must be given an opportunity to share their experience of the incident, to ask questions, and to have their views recorded alongside the staff account.

Timing the post-incident discussion

The post-incident discussion with a child should happen as soon as the child is calm and ready to engage. This is not always immediately after the incident. Many children benefit from a period of settling before they are able to reflect. A good rule of thumb is to offer the discussion within 24 hours, but to be led by the child's readiness rather than by an administrative deadline.

Who should conduct the discussion

Where possible, the post-incident discussion should be conducted by a member of staff who was not directly involved in the physical intervention. This reduces the risk that the child feels unable to speak honestly. The child's key worker, if they were not involved, is often the most appropriate person.

Recording the child's account

The child's account should be recorded in their own words, not paraphrased by the staff member. If the child is not able or willing to engage verbally, other forms of communication, including drawing or writing, should be offered. A record that says only "child did not wish to discuss" is rarely sufficient. The record should show what was offered, when, and by whom.

Physical intervention training from ProActive Approaches equips staff with the communication skills to conduct these discussions effectively, including with children who have experienced developmental trauma and may find direct conversation difficult.

Common recording mistakes and how to avoid them

Incident records in children's homes are frequently criticised on Ofsted inspection. The most common problems are predictable and avoidable.

Vague or judgemental language

Records that describe a child as "kicking off" or "being aggressive" fail to communicate what actually happened. They also reflect the kind of blame-focused framing that person-centred practice seeks to avoid. A good record describes observable behaviour: "Child A threw a dining chair in the direction of staff member B, striking the wall approximately one metre to staff member B's left." This is specific, factual, and defensible.

Recording the decision to intervene without recording the de-escalation pathway

Regulation 20 requires that physical intervention is a last resort. A record that describes the intervention but makes no reference to what was attempted before it is difficult to defend. Every record should show the de-escalation steps taken, even if they were brief.

Delay in completing records

Records completed the day after an incident, or reconstructed from memory several days later, are significantly less reliable. They are also harder to defend under scrutiny. Homes should build the expectation that incident records are completed before the end of the shift, and managers should follow up where this has not happened.

Failure to record the child's perspective

A record that contains only the staff account is a partial record. Homes that consistently fail to include the child's perspective are failing both their regulatory duty under Regulation 21 and the children in their care.

How good recording supports restraint reduction

The most important function of incident recording in the long run is not compliance but improvement. When records are accurate, consistent, and comprehensive, they generate data that can drive real reductions in the use of physical intervention.

Aggregate analysis of incident records allows managers to identify:

• Times of day or days of the week when incidents are more frequent.
• Specific environments or activities associated with higher incident rates.
• Patterns in individual children's behaviour that suggest unmet needs or triggers.
• Staff members who may benefit from additional support or training.
• Whether particular techniques are associated with higher rates of injury.

ProActive Approaches has supported homes to use this kind of analysis as part of a structured restraint-reduction programme. Organisations that have fully implemented our training have documented up to 80% reductions in physical intervention incidents in their own outcome data. Our training programmes include practical tools for incident analysis and restraint reduction planning.

Frequently asked questions

When must a physical intervention be recorded in a children's home?

Every physical intervention in a children's home must be recorded. The record should be completed as soon as possible after the incident, before the end of the shift where practicable. The record must be sufficiently detailed to allow a manager or inspector to understand what happened, why the intervention was used, what techniques were applied, and what the outcome was for the child. Delayed or incomplete records are a significant inspection concern.

What is a Regulation 35 notification and when is it required?

A Regulation 35 notification is a formal notification to Ofsted, the placing local authority, and the child's parents or carers after a significant event in a children's home, including any physical intervention incident. Notification to Ofsted must be made within 24 hours of the incident becoming known to the registered manager. Failure to notify within this timeframe can result in Ofsted enforcement action, separate from any concerns about the incident itself.

Do children have to be involved in recording after a physical intervention?

Regulation 21 of the Children's Homes Regulations 2015 requires that children are given the opportunity to participate in decisions about their care, including post-incident discussions. Children must be offered the opportunity to share their account of the incident, and their views must be recorded. A record that contains only the staff perspective does not meet the regulatory requirement and will be viewed critically on Ofsted inspection.

What should a body map include after a physical intervention?

A body map completed after physical intervention should show the areas of the child's body where holds or techniques were applied, any marks or injuries present after the intervention, and any relevant pre-existing marks. The child should be involved in completing or reviewing the body map where possible. Where injuries are visible, photography provides an additional record and should be obtained with appropriate regard for the child's dignity and consent.

How can incident records help reduce the use of physical intervention?

Accurate, consistent incident records generate aggregate data that allows managers to identify patterns: times, locations, triggers, and staff or technique factors associated with higher incident rates. This analysis is the foundation of a restraint-reduction strategy. Homes that review their incident data regularly and take action based on what they find are the homes that demonstrate the kind of continuous improvement Ofsted expects to see under the Children's Homes Quality Standards.

Strengthen your recording and reduce incidents

ProActive Approaches delivers BILD Act certified physical intervention training that treats recording as an integral part of safe, lawful practice, not an administrative add-on. Staff leave our programmes with the skills to record accurately, to conduct post-incident discussions with children, and to contribute to restraint reduction.

View upcoming course dates or get in touch to discuss tailored in-house training for your home.