The government has produced non-statutory and advisory guidance on reducing the need for restraint and restrictive intervention in special education settings. It addresses the management of challenging behaviour that can be found with children and young people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions and mental health difficulties.

It is aimed at a variety of settings including children’s homes, residential holiday schemes, maintained and non-maintained special schools, special academies, special free schools and independent educational institutions organised to make special education provision for children with SEN. It is not aimed at mainstream schools of any type.