Conducted by Di Hart, principal officer in NCB's Children's Residential Care Unit, the review looked at the use of physical restraint in social care, health, education and secure settings in England. It raises concerns about inconsistency and fragmentation in policy and practice throughout the children's sector.
The review found that although some stated principles are common - for example, using restraint only as a 'last resort' - there is little consistency across services. The result is that the same child displaying the same behaviour in different settings cannot expect the same response.
Currently each sector operates under different guidance about restraining children, from the criteria when restraint can be used, to acceptable techniques and the monitoring of incidents. In a recent consultation with looked after children undertaken by Children's Rights Director Dr Roger Morgan it was clear that restraint was commonplace, and that young people perceived it both as abusive and as a punishment.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here
