Exam Pass Notes

Use these notes as a brief review before the assessment. They summarise the practical points from the course but do not replace approved physical intervention training, local policy or safeguarding procedures.

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• Restrictive practice must be used only to keep someone safe and only as a last resort.
• Restriction must never be used as punishment, humiliation, threat, convenience or to enforce simple compliance.
• Labeling an action as positive handling does not remove the need for lawful justification and follow-up review.
• Staff should consider whether an action is necessary, proportionate, the least restrictive option and the shortest possible.
• Restrictive practice includes more than full physical holds; it can include blocking, guiding and separation.
• Restraints that cause pain or that restrict breathing, the airway, neck or chest are not acceptable routine practice.
• Repeated or continuous restriction can amount to a deprivation of liberty and must be escalated for review.
• Using approved methods and following local policy reduces risk; improvisation increases it.
• After any incident, carry out welfare checks, record clearly within required timescales and obtain the child's account.
• Frequent use of restraint should prompt leadership review and a change in planning or approach.
• Serious incidents may require formal notification and wider safeguarding action.
• Homes should work to reduce the use of restraint over time, not merely record it more accurately.