Children in Care: Restraint Techniques

(asked on 15th November 2023) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she has plans to regulate the use of restraints on looked after children and young people during secure transportation.


Answered by
David Johnston Portrait
David Johnston
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This question was answered on 20th November 2023

The safeguarding and wellbeing of children and young people is always of the utmost importance to the department.

Restraint should only be used in exceptional cases where it is necessary and proportionate, for example, if there was no other way to prevent a child from seriously harming themselves or others.

In Stable Homes, Built on Love, the department committed to working closely with sector experts to review all existing legislation, standards and guidance, and to develop a core overarching set of Standards of Care with accompanying regulations. The department envisages that its new standards and regulations will cover the use of restraint and the department is exploring what further action is needed regarding the use of restraint in transportation as part of this.

The department intends to consult on the Standards of Care in due course, with a view to updating legislation subject to parliamentary time.

Reticulating Splines