How to record restraint in a children’s home

Regulation 20 limits restraint to preventing injury to any person, including the child, or serious damage to property (and, in a secure children’s home, absconding). It adds one condition that every record should be able to show was met:

So a good record does not only describe the hold. It shows why it was necessary and why nothing less would have done.

Regulation 35 sets three deadlines. Within 24 hours of the measure, a record must include:

• the child’s name;
• details of the child’s behaviour leading to the use of the measure;
• the date, time and location;
• a description of the measure and its duration;
• details of any methods used or steps taken to avoid the need for it;
• the name of the person who used it and of anyone else present;
• the effectiveness and any consequences of the measure;
• a description of any injury to the child or anyone else, and any medical treatment.

Within 48 hours, the registered person (or someone they have authorised) must have spoken to the person who used the measure and signed the record to confirm it is accurate. Within 5 days, they must add confirmation that they have spoken to the child about it.

The full text is in regulation 35. Department for Education guidance on the regulations and Quality Standards is on GOV.UK.

• No de-escalation recorded. If the record does not say what was tried first, it cannot show the measure was necessary.
• Labels instead of facts: "kicked off", "became aggressive". Say what the child did and said.
• No duration, or only "a few minutes".
• Only one member of staff named when others were present.
• Nothing on injuries. If there were none, say so and how that was checked.
• The 48-hour sign-off or the 5-day conversation with the child missing, or done without a date.
• The child’s own account left out, when it is the part that shows their voice was heard.

• Download the Word file and add your home’s own fields, such as an incident number or body map.
• Complete Part 1 within 24 hours, Part 2 within 48 hours and Part 3 within 5 days.
• Use the checklist before sign-off; it follows regulation 35 item by item.
• Review restraint records together each month to spot patterns for each child, and feed the learning into their plans.

Caredact can check restraint records against regulation 35 for you, with personal details removed first, and show what each record is missing. See Caredact for children’s homes.

The full text of the template, as it appears in the Word download. Example answers are shown in boxes.

Child's name: [name]

Date, time and location: [date], [time], [where in or outside the home]

What the child was doing and saying before the measure was used: [describe the behaviour and what led up to it, factually]

What was tried first to avoid the need for it: [talking, offering space or time out, distraction, removing others, calling for support]

The measure used and how long it lasted: [the exact measure, for example a named hold, and its duration]

Who used it, and who else was present: [names and roles]

How effective it was, and any consequences: [whether it achieved its purpose, what happened afterwards, any sanction or follow-up]

Any injury to the child or anyone else, and any medical treatment: [describe, or state that there was none and how this was checked]

Completed by: [name], [role], [date and time]

I have spoken to the person who used the measure about it: [yes, date]

Notes from that conversation, including whether the measure was necessary and proportionate: [notes]

I confirm this record is accurate. Signed: [name], [role], [date]

I have spoken to the child about the measure: [yes, date]

What the child said about what happened and how it was handled: [in the child's own words where possible]

What we will do differently, if anything: [learning, changes to the child's plan or risk assessment]

Signed: [name], [role], [date]

• The child is named, and the date, time and place are recorded.
• The behaviour is described in facts, not labels such as "kicked off".
• What staff tried first is recorded.
• The measure is named and its duration given.
• Everyone who used it or was present is named.
• Effectiveness and consequences are recorded.
• Injuries are recorded, or it is stated there were none and how that was checked.
• The registered person spoke to the staff member and signed within 48 hours.
• The registered person spoke to the child within 5 days, and the child's view is recorded.
• Any notification needed under your policy has been made and recorded.