Standards on restraint set out for disabled children's holiday schemes

National minimum standards for holiday schemes for disabled children (HSDC), published by the Department for Education, state that schemes must have a clear written policy on managing behaviour.

This must include details on supporting positive behaviour, de-escalation of conflicts, discipline, control and restraint, and be understood by all staff. Restraint should only be used in exceptional circumstances, it adds.

Meanwhile, staff and volunteers should be supported to manage their “responses and feelings” resulting from working with children, particularly where children display challenging behaviour or have difficult emotional issues.

There has been an increasing focus on the use of restraint in residential settings since the Winterborne View scandal, where patients at the residential hospital were pinned down, slapped and taunted.

Holiday schemes can help disabled children meet new people and have new experiences. They can also give parents and carers vital time off from their caring duties.

Alongside sections on restraint and behaviour, the minimum standards outline expectations on taking the wishes of children into consideration, safeguarding children, and promoting good health and wellbeing.

Ofsted will refer to the standards in its role regulating HSDCs.

The standards form part of government attempts to improve support available for children with special educational needs.

Among other things, the government is also introducing a single assessment process for education, health and care. Parents of children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) will be included in the process.

It is also replacing SEN statements and learning difficulty assessments with an education, health and care plan for children and young people with SEN aged 0 to 25 years.