Guidance on the use of physical restraint on looked-after childrenis urgently needed, say experts, after eight Government inspectoratescriticised its use.

"It's a major problem," said Mary Graham, chair of the SecureAccommodation Network. "There is an absolute lack of guidance fromGovernment on it."

The second safeguarding children report, published last week by all theinspectorates covering services for children and young people,highlights concerns about the use of certain behaviour managementtechniques.

"Our inspection activity shows it's an area of concern. We're not sayingit's widespread, but the fact that all eight inspectorates have raisedit as an issue shows there needs to be greater coherence," said DavidBehan, chief inspector at the Commission for Social Care Inspection.

"It would be wrong for me to over-egg or under-egg it. We've foundsufficient evidence to register our concerns about it and say that'ssomething that needs to be taken forward," he added.

The inspectors' concerns include the use of physical control,strip-searching and segregation in local authority secure children'shomes, young offender institutions and secure training centres. They arealso concerned about the over-use of physical control in children'shomes, some special schools and some NHS settings.

"Because of the lack of guidance, several different types of restraintare used in secure children's homes. Unless and until someone gets togrips with it, units are on their own," said Graham. "Most use the samemethods as local authorities prescribe for children's homes - there isno enhanced method used in secure children's homes." This is despite thefact that staff may have to deal with children who have committed actsof extreme violence.

Guidance on the use of restraint in ordinary children's homes doesexist, but clearer guidelines are needed because it's "very vague",added Di Hart, principal officer for children in public care at theNational Children's Bureau. "It establishes certain basic principles,such as restraint should be used as a last resort and for the minimaltime possible, but that is very difficult for staff to interpret."

Janet Rich, director at the Bryn Melyn Group, a private provider of carehomes, said: "Restraint should never be part of a behaviour managementregime, only an act of care and control to keep children safe."

She said guidance alone was not enough because inappropriate use ofrestraint could be symptomatic of wider problems in the care home'sethos.

The Youth Justice Board is consulting on a draft code of practice formanaging behaviour across the juvenile secure estate.

- www.safeguardingchildren.org.uk - See Analysis, p9.