April 2026 DfE Guidance: What Schools Must Do Now About Restrictive Interventions

From April 2026, schools across England will need to follow updated Department for Education guidance on restrictive practice and restrictive interventions. This new guidance replaces Use of Reasonable Force (2013) and introduces new legal responsibilities alongside a stronger focus on prevention, pupil support and consistent reporting.

The changes mark a significant shift in how schools approach behaviour management, particularly for pupils with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). For many settings, the new requirements will mean revising policies, refreshing staff training and improving systems for recording and reviewing incidents involving reasonable force and restrictive interventions.

At SecuriCare, we support schools through these changes with behaviour management training, de escalation training, and practical guidance designed to reduce risk and strengthen staff confidence.

What's New in April 2026?

1. New Legal Requirements for Recording and Reporting

The government has introduced new regulations that make recording and reporting certain incidents mandatory. The key legal changes include:

• The Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2025
• Amendments to the Education and Inspections Act 2006

These rules require schools to document and report incidents involving:

• Reasonable force
• Restraint, including non-force restraint
• Seclusion

This is a significant compliance requirement. Schools must also ensure parents receive written information whenever these interventions are used.

2. What Is Reasonable Force and When Can It Be Used?

One of the most common questions schools ask is what is reasonable force and when it can legally be used.

Staff continue to have the legal authority to use reasonable force in limited circumstances, such as preventing injury, protecting others from harm or stopping serious disorder.

However, the updated guidance makes it clear that force should only ever be used as a last resort. De escalation techniques and preventative strategies should always be attempted first wherever possible. The use of force as punishment remains unlawful.

Any intervention must be:

• Necessary
• Proportionate
• The minimum required to keep pupils and staff safe

3. Recording Must Be Clear, Timely and Consistent

One of the biggest changes is the requirement for written records to be completed as soon as possible, ideally on the same day.

Records should include:

• Who was involved
• The pupil's needs or SEND status
• When and where the incident occurred
• What happened and why intervention became necessary
• What de escalation strategies were attempted first
• The type of restrictive intervention used
• Any injuries and follow up support provided

Consistent reporting enables schools to review incidents, identify trends and continually improve their behaviour management strategies.

4. Greater Focus on SEND and Preventing Challenging Behaviour

The updated guidance places much greater emphasis on preventing escalation before restrictive interventions become necessary.

Schools are encouraged to:

• Make reasonable adjustments
• Create personalised behaviour support plans
• Use preventative approaches for pupils displaying challenging behaviour
• Develop consistent responses across the school

Understanding what is challenging behaviour and identifying its underlying causes helps staff respond earlier, reducing both risk and the likelihood of restrictive interventions.

5. Statutory Requirements vs Best Practice

It is important for schools to understand the difference between legal duties and recommended practice.

Recording and reporting incidents involving restraint, seclusion and reasonable force are statutory requirements.

The wider guidance around behaviour management, prevention and de escalation training is non-statutory but represents recognised best practice that supports safer outcomes for pupils and staff.

Schools should ensure they meet their legal obligations while embedding effective behaviour management throughout the organisation.

What Schools Need to Do Next

To prepare for April 2026, schools should:

• Review and update behaviour and restraint policies
• Refresh staff knowledge through behaviour management training and de escalation training
• Implement consistent incident recording procedures
• Ensure parents are informed appropriately
• Use incident data to identify patterns and reduce restrictive interventions
• Strengthen SEND support and reasonable adjustments

These steps require planning, consistency and appropriate staff development, particularly for schools already managing increasing workloads.

How SecuriCare Can Help

For more than 30 years, SecuriCare has supported schools with practical training that improves safety, confidence and compliance.

Our programmes help schools strengthen:

• Behaviour management
• Behaviour management strategies
• De escalation skills
• Safe responses to challenging behaviour
• Understanding of restrictive practice
• Recording and reporting processes
• Support for pupils with SEND, including emotional regulation and neurodiversity

Where appropriate, we also provide PMVA training and restrain training for organisations that require accredited physical intervention training alongside preventative approaches.

Training That Makes a Difference

SecuriCare training helps schools achieve measurable improvements, including:

• Reduced use of restraint and seclusion
• More confident staff
• Safer learning environments
• Improved compliance and audit readiness
• Stronger behaviour management across the whole school

Prepare Your School for April 2026

The new guidance represents an important change in how schools manage behaviour safely and lawfully. By investing in effective behaviour management training, de escalation training, and robust reporting processes, schools can improve outcomes for both pupils and staff while meeting their legal responsibilities.

If you need support reviewing policies, developing staff or implementing the new recording requirements, SecuriCare is here to help.