What its position is on introducing legislation to protect the rights of children with (a) additional support needs and (b) learning diffic…

There are no plans to introduce legislation on the use of physical restraint in schools. The Scottish Government is clear that the use of physical intervention, physical restraint and supported isolation should only ever be used as a last resort and when in the best interests of the child. These approaches should never be used for disciplinary purposes.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Scotland’s children and young people and each local authority is responsible for the care, safety and welfare of pupils in school. To support this, we have committed to include guidance on the use of restraint (for all children, including children with complex additional support needs), in the context of de-escalation as part of early intervention approaches in our refreshed guidance Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2: A Positive Approach to Preventing and Managing School Exclusions. This approach has been agreed by stakeholders including the Association of Directors of Education Scotland who agree that physical restraint should be seen in the context of positive relationships and behaviour.