RRN Training Standards and certification: what adult social care leaders should know

If you commission restrictive intervention training in adult social care, you will have seen references to the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) Training Standards and to certification. It can feel like a maze of terminology, especially when different organisations use similar language in marketing materials.

This guide sets out the difference between (1) the RRN Training Standards themselves and (2) the certification scheme that checks whether a training service meets those standards. It also explains how the pieces fit together in practice when you are responsible for governance, procurement, quality, and staff capability.

What the RRN Training Standards actually are

The RRN Training Standards are a set of ethical training standards intended to protect people’s fundamental rights and support the elimination of unnecessary restrictive practices. The RRN describes them as focused on cultural change, not solely technical competence, including prevention, de-escalation and reflective practice (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/training-standards/).

In the Certification Scheme Handbook, the standards are described as “cross sector standards for training in restrictive practices” and a national benchmark for what training should cover when restrictive interventions are part of a curriculum (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).

Why this matters for adult social care

Adult social care services often support people with learning disabilities, autism, dementia and mental health needs, where distress can escalate quickly. When staff feel under-prepared, organisations can drift towards over-reliance on restrictive practices, higher incident rates, and poorer outcomes.

Good training should not sit in isolation from your wider approach. It should reinforce prevention, positive behaviour support, trauma-informed thinking, and post-incident learning, so you can reduce the frequency and intensity of restrictive interventions over time.

What “certification” means in this context

Certification is the quality assurance mechanism that checks whether a training service is compliant with the RRN Training Standards. The handbook explains that “certificated training services demonstrate their compliance with these quality standards” (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).

It is also explicit that the scheme certifies training services, not just an organisation name or an individual trainer. In other words, the certified unit is a defined combination of an approved curriculum and authorised trainers (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).

Who owns the standards and the scheme?

The Certification Scheme Handbook states that the Restraint Reduction Network owns both the Training Standards and the Certification Scheme, and licenses them to certification bodies (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).

For commissioners, the key point is that certification is not a generic label. It is tied to a specific scheme with defined rules, surveillance and governance expectations.

How certification helps you commission training responsibly

When you commission restrictive intervention training, you are purchasing more than a course. You are purchasing a safety-critical capability that should stand up to scrutiny after an incident, complaint, safeguarding enquiry or regulator visit.

1) It provides a clear procurement check

The handbook states certification provides quality assurance that is helpful to commissioners of training, commissioners of services, and regulators (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf). In procurement terms, that means you can require evidence of certification as part of a due diligence pack, rather than relying on assurances.

2) It clarifies scope (population, setting, curricula)

A certificate is expected to specify what training programmes are certified, the scope (populations and settings), and which senior trainers are authorised to deliver them (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf). This matters because a provider may have more than one programme, and not all content a provider offers will necessarily sit inside the certified scope.

3) It supports continuous improvement

Another practical benefit is that certification is not meant to be a one-off. The scheme includes ongoing surveillance and a structured cycle, which should encourage providers to maintain quality and keep governance arrangements current (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).

Where organisations get confused (and how to avoid it)

In day-to-day conversations, people can mix up three different concepts:

• The standards: what training should include, how it should be designed and delivered, and the values that should underpin it.
• The certification process: the mechanism for checking compliance.
• A particular certification body or brand: one route by which compliance is assessed and certificates are issued.

A helpful commissioning habit is to keep returning to evidence: what is certified, under which scheme, and what documentation can the provider share right now?

Commissioning checklist: questions to ask a provider

Below are practical questions you can ask during tender, renewal, or contract review. They are designed to reduce ambiguity and ensure you can evidence due diligence.

About the certificate

• Can you share your current certificate and the scope statement (including settings, populations, and the named curriculum titles)?
• What is the issue date and expiry date, and what surveillance activities have been completed since it was awarded?
• Which trainers are authorised to deliver the certified training services, and how do you assure their competence and currency?

About course design and delivery

• How does the programme teach prevention, de-escalation and primary strategies before physical skills are introduced?
• How do you ensure any physical techniques taught are proportionate to the roles and risks in our service?
• What is your approach to reasonable adjustments and accessibility for staff learners?

About governance after training

• How do you help us embed learning into policy, recording, and post-incident review, rather than treating the course as a one-off event?
• What refresher model do you recommend for our risk profile and workforce stability?
• How do you handle concerns and complaints about training delivery or content?

If you want a clearer sense of what good practice looks like in real services, our guide to commissioning certified training explains how certification fits alongside leadership, supervision and incident learning.

How this connects to restraint reduction and safer practice

Many organisations focus on the “hands-on” part of training because it feels concrete. But the RRN approach explicitly places restrictive interventions within a broader system designed to reduce their use. If the training you buy does not strengthen prevention and decision-making, it can unintentionally normalise avoidable restriction.

Practical actions you can take alongside training

• Align training with your behaviour support model: ensure the language and approach used in training matches how you expect staff to work day-to-day.
• Build reflective practice into supervision: post-incident review should look at antecedents, unmet needs and system factors, not just staff technique.
• Use data intelligently: track incidents, restrictive interventions, injuries, and near-misses to identify where primary strategies need strengthening.

For teams looking to reduce restrictive practices through a whole-organisation approach, our restraint reduction training page outlines how training can sit within a wider safety and culture programme.

RRN standards in NHS-commissioned services: what to look out for

If you work with NHS-commissioned services (or interface with NHS pathways), you may have contractual requirements to demonstrate appropriate training in restrictive practices. In these contexts, decision-makers often look for clear evidence of standards-aligned training and governance arrangements, not just course attendance lists.

Even when your service is not directly commissioned under an NHS contract, adopting the same level of rigour can strengthen your safeguarding posture and help you evidence safe practice.

What about adult social care services outside the NHS?

Not every adult social care service will have identical commissioning requirements. However, the ethical and governance rationale is the same: if staff may need to use restrictive interventions in rare situations, your organisation must be able to show training is high quality, proportionate and embedded in a reduction-focused approach.

That is also why many providers combine commissioning checks with practical workforce development, such as physical intervention training that is framed around prevention, proportionality and post-incident learning.

Three moments to include in your internal governance process

To make training work for your service, plan around three moments rather than treating it as a single event:

1) Before delivery: needs analysis and scope

Clarify which staff groups need what level of training, and what risks you are training for. A blanket approach can lead to over-training some staff and under-preparing others. It can also lead to unnecessary exposure to restrictive techniques where they are not relevant.

CTA: If you would like help scoping training for different roles, contact us and we will talk through your setting, people you support, and typical incident patterns.

2) During delivery: learning transfer and competence

Ask how competence is assessed, what support learners receive, and how the provider confirms delegates can apply decision-making frameworks, not just demonstrate techniques in a classroom.

3) After delivery: refresher, supervision and learning loops

Plan how refresher training, supervision prompts and post-incident review will connect back to what was taught. This is where organisations see real movement in incident reduction and confidence.

CTA: If your incident data shows recurring themes (for example particular times, locations, triggers or staffing patterns), we can help you design a targeted programme that strengthens primary strategies alongside safer holds.

Common myths to correct in your organisation

• Myth: “Certification is the same as being a ‘member’ of a scheme.”
  Reality: Certification is evidence-based and tied to a specific training service scope and surveillance expectations (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).
• Myth: “If we have a certificate, we do not need to do anything else.”
  Reality: Training must sit inside governance: policies, incident recording, debrief, supervision, and continuous improvement.
• Myth: “Physical skills are the main thing that keeps people safe.”
  Reality: Prevention, de-escalation, and understanding unmet needs are usually the biggest levers for reducing harm (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/training-standards/).

How ProActive can help

Our work focuses on safer services, stronger staff confidence, and practical approaches to reducing restrictive practices over time. We support adult social care providers with training, coaching and implementation support tailored to their context.

You can also explore our work with children’s settings on the children’s services page, as many organisations have integrated pathways spanning 16+ transitions and multi-agency work.

CTA: If you are planning a procurement or re-tender, we can provide a short pre-procurement call to help you define scope, evidence requirements and realistic implementation steps.

FAQ

Is certification the same as the training standards?

No. The training standards describe what training should cover and how it should be underpinned. Certification is the process of independently checking that a training service meets those standards (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf).

Does a certificate cover every course a provider offers?

Not necessarily. Certificates are expected to list the specific curricula and scope (populations and settings) that are certified, along with authorised trainers (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/RRN_Training_Standards_Certification_Scheme_HandbookOct2019v2.pdf). Always ask to see the scope statement.

What evidence should we keep on file as a commissioner?

Keep the provider’s current certificate and scope statement, course outlines, trainer authorisation details, your internal training needs analysis, attendance/competence records, and evidence of how post-incident learning is feeding back into practice.

How often should we refresh restrictive intervention training?

It depends on staff roles, incident patterns and turnover. Refreshers should be planned based on risk, with supervision and reflective practice supporting learning transfer between refreshers.

How do we make sure training supports restraint reduction rather than increasing restriction?

Commission training that places prevention and de-escalation first, aligns with your behaviour support approach, and is reinforced through policy, supervision and post-incident review. Use data to check whether restrictive interventions reduce over time and whether staff confidence improves (https://restraintreductionnetwork.org/training-standards/).