What to do after restraining a pupil: the first 24 hours and beyond

The minutes and hours after a pupil has been restrained matter as much as the incident itself. The pupil may be hurt, frightened or ashamed. The staff involved may be shaken. Other pupils may have watched. And from April 2026, the school has statutory duties to record the incident and tell parents, usually the same day. Handled well, the aftermath repairs relationships and prevents the next incident. Handled badly, it makes the next one more likely.

At ProActive Approaches our starting point is #AimingForZero, the position our founder Simon Gower has held since 2016. A reduction target implies an acceptable number of restraints, and zero removes that permission. That changes what a team asks after an incident. The question is not only "did we follow procedure?" but "what would have meant this child was never held?" The legal duties set the minimum. The aftermath is where the real work of reducing restraint is done.

This guide follows the order things should happen in, drawing on the DfE guidance Restrictive interventions, including use of reasonable force, in schools.

In the first few minutes: safety and care

As soon as the immediate risk has passed, all physical contact should end. Then:

• Check for injury. The guidance says that, where appropriate, the pupil and the member of staff should receive medical assessment and treatment as soon as possible. If the pupil was held on the ground, even briefly, check their breathing and wellbeing carefully.
• Reduce demands and stimulation. Move to a quiet, safe space the pupil knows, or move other pupils away. Keep language short and calm.
• Stay with the pupil. A familiar adult, ideally not the one who held them, should stay nearby. Supervise without crowding.
• Look after other pupils. The guidance expects support for pupils who witnessed an intervention in which a peer may have been hurt or distressed.
• Look after staff. The adults involved may need a few minutes away from the class. Someone should cover.

In the first hour: recovery, not reflection

A pupil who has just been held is unlikely to be able to reflect on what happened. Their body is still in a state of high alert. Asking "why did you do that?" or pushing them back into a lesson straight away often leads to a second incident.

Instead, offer a calm, low-demand activity the pupil finds comforting, and let them recover at their own pace. For some pupils that will take ten minutes. For others, particularly autistic pupils or those with a history of trauma, it may take much longer. Return to learning when the pupil is ready, not when the timetable says so.

Before the end of the day: the written record

The governing body or proprietor must ensure there is a procedure for recording each significant incident in writing as soon as practicable. The staff involved should aim to complete the record the same day. The minimum content includes the names of those involved, the pupil's needs and SEN status, time, date, location and duration, what led up to the incident and what de-escalation was tried, why force was necessary, the type and degree of force, injuries and post-incident support.

Release the staff involved to write the record while it is fresh, and make sure they are calm enough to do so accurately. Our detailed guide on how to record physical intervention in schools sets out each requirement with examples.

The same day: telling parents

Parents must be told about each significant incident as soon as practicable, and schools should aim to do so the same day, in writing. The report must include the time, date, location and duration, why the intervention was necessary, the type and degree of force, and any injuries. This duty applies even if the pupil's behaviour support plan anticipates intervention.

In practice, many schools phone parents first, then follow up in writing. A phone call allows the school to explain, listen and reassure, but the written report is the legal requirement. Keep both factual and calm. Avoid labelling the pupil, and include what the school will do next.

There are narrow exceptions: the pupil is aged 20 or over, or a member of staff believes informing a parent would be likely to result in serious harm to the pupil. In that case they must inform another parent who can be told safely or, if there is none, the local authority.

Within a day or two: the reflective conversations

The guidance asks schools to hold follow-up conversations to support reflection, learning and wellbeing. It sets out several principles:

• Seek separate reflections from staff and pupils about what happened and why.
• Support the repair and rebuilding of relationships through dialogue.
• Ideally, the conversation should be facilitated by a member of staff who was not involved in the incident, and an additional person may help with impartiality and support.

With the pupil

Choose a time when the pupil is calm, usually the next day. Use whatever communication works for them: talking while walking, drawing, a comic strip conversation or symbols. Useful questions include:

• What was happening before you felt upset?
• What did it feel like?
• What could the adults have done that would have helped?
• What would you like to happen next time you feel like that?

The aim is understanding and repair, not blame. The pupil's answers should go into the record and the plan.

With the staff involved

Staff need space to talk about how they are, as well as what happened. Questions might include: what did you notice first, what did you try, what worked, what did not, and what support do you need? Look out for staff who have been involved in several incidents. The guidance asks schools to keep monitoring wellbeing and offer further support, such as counselling, where needed.

With parents

The guidance describes it as best practice to invite parents to a follow-up discussion. That conversation can cover triggers and warning signs, whether the agreed plan was followed, what de-escalation was tried and how effective it was, and what might be done differently. Many parents will have insights that change the plan.

Within a week: review the plan

The guidance says behaviour support plans should be reviewed with the pupil and parent periodically and after every significant incident. If the pupil does not have a plan, consider whether one is now needed. If there is an identified risk that force may be needed again, the school must have a risk assessment in place.

Use the record and the reflective conversations to update the plan. Was the trigger known? Were the early signs spotted? Was the agreed response followed? What needs to change: the environment, the timetable, the staffing, the communication, or the training?

Over the term: learning from patterns

The guidance asks schools to evaluate every restrictive intervention to understand why it was used, its impact, any patterns and how interventions might be avoided in future. Governors should review the data regularly. One incident tells you about a moment. Ten tell you about a system: a corridor at lunchtime, a particular lesson, a gap in staffing or a group of pupils who are held more often than others. Our guide to physical intervention training for schools explains how to target training at these patterns.

Supporting staff after repeated incidents

Some members of staff are involved in incidents far more often than others, usually because they work most closely with the pupils who are most distressed. Repeated exposure takes a toll. Signs that a colleague needs more support include avoiding certain pupils or lessons, increased sickness absence, irritability, or describing incidents in increasingly negative terms about the pupil.

Practical support can include regular supervision or coaching, rotating staff so the same adults are not always first to respond, extra training in prevention and de-escalation, and access to counselling or an employee assistance programme. The guidance asks schools to continue to monitor staff wellbeing and to provide additional support where needed. A team that feels supported is far more likely to stay calm, which is itself one of the most effective ways to prevent the next incident.

If there is a complaint or allegation

Complaints about restrictive interventions are handled through the school's normal complaints procedure. If an allegation is made against a member of staff, the school follows the procedures in Keeping children safe in education. The staff member should receive appropriate support during any investigation. A clear, prompt, factual record is the best protection for everyone involved.

A simple post-incident checklist

1. Contact ended as soon as risk passed.
2. Pupil and staff checked for injury; medical help sought if needed.
3. Pupil supported to recover in a safe, quiet space.
4. Witnessing pupils supported.
5. Written record completed the same day.
6. Parents informed in writing the same day, with a follow-up conversation offered.
7. Injuries recorded and reported to the Health and Safety Executive where required.
8. Reflective conversation with the pupil held when they are ready.
9. Reflective conversation with staff held, and wellbeing checked.
10. Behaviour support plan and risk assessment reviewed.

For a whole-school approach to prevention and recovery, see ProActive Schools.

FAQ

How soon should we talk to the pupil about what happened?

Only when they are calm and ready, which is often the next day. Talking too soon can re-trigger distress. Focus on recovery first.

Should the member of staff who held the pupil lead the conversation?

Ideally not. The guidance suggests the conversation is facilitated by someone not involved in the incident. The member of staff may still play a part in repairing the relationship, if the pupil wants that.

Is a phone call to parents enough?

No. The guidance says schools should communicate the report in writing, for example by email or an online messaging system. A phone call is a good addition, not a replacement.

Should the pupil be sanctioned after being restrained?

Force must never be used as a punishment, and seclusion is not a disciplinary measure. Whether any consequence follows the behaviour itself is a separate decision under the behaviour policy, and should take account of the pupil's needs and what the incident showed about them.

What if the pupil was injured?

Seek medical help as soon as possible, record the injury in the incident record and under your health and safety procedures, inform parents, and report to the Health and Safety Executive if the reporting rules apply.