Restraint Reduction Network
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Could you be our new chair of RRN’s board of trustees?10/01/2022 Are you an experienced leader who could work in partnership with our Chief Executive to lead the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN)? We are a leading charity championing a restraint reduction movement to prevent the unnecessary use of restrictive practices. |
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Leading panel of Children’s Commissioners discuss protection of children from restraint and seclusion in school17/12/2021 Our Restraint Reduction Conference held in Leeds and virtually at the end of last month featured a panel of Children’s Commissioners or their representatives from across the UK, looking at the use of restraint in schools. |
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Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) welcomes launch of new Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 statutory guidance07/12/2021 A new landmark piece of legislation – known as Seni’s Law – regarding the use of force in mental health units has been launched today (7 December 2021) by Gillian Keegan MP; Minister of State for Care and Mental Health; Steve Reed MP and Aji Lewis, mother of Seni – a 23-year-old black man who died after being restrained by 11 police officers while in Hospital in 2010. |
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Launch of new animation to support understanding of behaviour in the early years and reduce the use of restrictive practice16/11/2021 A new co-produced animation has launched from the Institute of Health Visiting (iHV), in collaboration with the Challenging Behaviour Foundation, The Sleep Charity and parents / carers. |
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Could you be our new chair of RRN’s board of trustees?11/11/2021 Are you an experienced leader who could work in partnership with our Chief Executive to lead the Restraint Reduction Network (RRN)? We are a leading charity championing a restraint reduction movement to prevent the unnecessary use of restrictive practices. |
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Have you watched the BBC programme Don’t Exclude Me?29/10/2021 The BBC documentary series Don’t Exclude Me, which has now aired two episodes, follows the school experiences of Oscar and Jack. It depicts the daily reality for many children with additional needs, including the unnecessary use of judgemental and coercive language, public shaming and restraint. Both boys are at risk of exclusion due to poor inclusion practices. |
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First of its kind! Autistic and Expecting book launched sharing the voices of more than 50 autistic parents27/10/2021 A new book, Autistic and Expecting, written by Restraint Reduction Network Manager and autism campaigner Alexis Quinn, aims to empower autistic parents with vital information and strategies to help parental bonding and provide advice for early parenting. |
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Restraint Reduction Network joins with British Institute of Human Rights for webinar on rights-based surveillance – Book Now27/10/2021 “How would you respond if the Government mandated that CCTV should be installed in every room in your house, including your bedroom, with the aim of promoting your health and protecting you from harm? You might be outraged or even set to the streets to protest. We all have a fundamental right to privacy.” Those are the words of Alexis Quinn, our Restraint Reduction Network Manager and autism campaigner, who will be discussing what it means to follow a rights-based approach to surveillance at our joint webinar with the British Institute of Human Rights on Tuesday, November 2, 12-1pm. |
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Book now for the Restraint Reduction Network Conference 202126/10/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) is excited to announce an impressive array of speakers for this year’s RRN Conference exploring the theme of inequalities and restrictive practices. The conference will be taking place on 30 November to 1 December at The Queens Hotel in Leeds in-person and virtually. |
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Surveillance and the elephant in the room17/09/2021 The use of surveillance in health and social care settings is a complex issue. Our right to privacy is so fundamental that its value can be difficult to articulate. This analogy helps make the ethical debate real: Imagine asking members of the public to argue against the installation of cameras in their lounge rooms (Chesterman, 2017). Such is the situation many people find themselves in today when they are being cared for in health and social care settings. |
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Restraint Reduction Network launch surveillance resources to help protect human rights17/09/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network, in partnership with the British Institute of Human Rights, has launched new resources aimed at helping individuals and organisations take a rights-based approach to the use of surveillance. |
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Restraint Reduction Network launches Blanket Restrictions Toolkit in partnership with National Quality Improvement Taskforce14/09/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network (RRN), commissioned by the National Quality Improvement Taskforce, has launched a co-produced Blanket Restrictions Toolkit. The Toolkit hopes to ensure rights respected care by reducing reliance on blanket restrictions. |
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Restraint Reduction Network responds to Cawston Park Hospital scandal10/09/2021 Norfolk Adult Safeguarding Board yesterday (10th September) published its report, authored by Margaret Flynn, into the deaths of Joanna, Nicholas (known as Jon) and Ben – three adults with learning disabilities who unnecessarily died in their 30’s whilst being looked after at Cawston Park Hospital. |
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Save the Date for the Restraint Reduction Network Conference 202106/09/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) team is excited to announce that the date and location for this year’s RRN Conference are now confirmed. The conference will be taking place on 30 November to 1 December at The Queens Hotel in Leeds in-person and virtually. |
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Restraint Reduction Network responds to Baroness Hollins’ thematic review and recommendations into long-term segregation21/07/2021 We welcome today’s recommendations made by Baroness Hollins, Chair of the Independent Care (Education) and Treatment Review into the long-term segregation (LTS) of people with a learning disability and autistic people in inpatient settings. |
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Restraint Reduction Network welcomes launch of landmark Reducing Restrictive Practice Framework in Wales19/07/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) has today welcomed the Welsh Government’s launch of the Reducing Restrictive Practice Framework (RRPF) in Wales as a ‘major milestone.’ |
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Come and join our Board of Trustees!07/07/2021 We’re looking for people with lived experience to join our board of trustees. |
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The RRN responds to the Equality and Human Rights Commission report into restraint in schools30/06/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network welcomes the Equality and Human Rights Commission report into restraint in schools (EHRC, June 2021) and supports its recommendations. |
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We have got to start regulating CCTV. It’s a human rights issue. Full stop.24/06/2021 RRN Manager, Alexis Quinn, lays out some of the key arguments around CCTV to spark a balanced debate about its regulation in health and social care settings. |
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Restraint Reduction Network responds to inadequate CQC rating at Cranmore and Stepping Stones residential care homes18/06/2021 This week we have witnessed news of two residential services, Cranmore and Stepping Stones in Kent, that have been rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission. Amongst the service failings were a heavy reliance on Blanket Restrictions. |
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Winterbourne View 10 years on14/06/2021 Alexis Quinn, Manager for the Restraint Reduction Network, autism campaigner and expert by experience, reflects on the Winterbourne View scandal and the continuing need for change in her latest blog post. |
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The Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards Webinar series26/03/2021 April 1 will mark 2 years since the launch of the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards. To mark this, and help you practically implement the Standards, we are running a mini-series of webinars which starts next week. |
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Tribunal decision finds the use of restraint at a residential school amounted to unlawful discrimination18/03/2021 Whilst attending a Residential School a young, vulnerable autistic female diagnosed with ADHD and a learning disability was restrained numerous times by school staff. The Health and Education chamber of Scotland found the use of restraint in this instance amounted to unlawful discrimination. |
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Our response to the Mental Health Act reform White Paper18/01/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network are delighted about the publication of the Mental Health Act White Paper. Listen to our full response in this video with Alexis Quinn and Ajibola Lewis. |
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CQC Closed Cultures review: how you can support the review05/01/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network is looking to engage community based rehabilitation services and the people and families that use their services. We need your support in engaging people with lived experience to inform and feed into the CQC Closed Cultures review. |
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Alexis Quinn appointed as RRN Manager/ Coordinator05/01/2021 We are delighted to welcome Alexis Quinn to the Restraint Reduction Network staff team in our new RRN Manager/ Coordinator role. Read more here> |
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Our new projects, and how you can get involved05/01/2021 The Restraint Reduction Network has been commissioned by NHS England, and are working on, two important projects that you can support, contribute to and share your good practice. |
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Chair of the RRN, Professor Joy Duxbury, receives OBE04/01/2021 We are delighted to congratulate Professor Joy Duxbury, Chair of the Restraint Reduction Network, on being awarded an OBE in the New Year’s Honours list for her contributions to mental health research, practice and policy. |
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Human Rights Day 202010/12/2020 This human rights day we look to the future as we consider the ways in which our society needs to build back from the fall-out of the Covid-19 pandemic from a foundation of human rights. |
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CQC publishes ‘Out of Sight – Who Cares?’, a review of restraint, segregation and seclusion23/10/2020 Yesterday’s report from the Care Quality Commission, ‘Out of Sight – Who Cares?, looks at the use of restraint, seclusion and segregation in care services for people with a mental health condition, a learning disability or autistic people. Read more here> |
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Covid Restraint Increase in Inpatient Settings “…really, really worrying”10/09/2020 Professor Chris Hatton has written about Restraints used on people with learning disabilities and autistic people in inpatient units through COVID-19. Find out more> |
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Burdett Trust award to fund an evaluation of the Training Standards20/07/2020 The Restraint Reduction Network has been awarded a grant from the Burdett Trust for Nursing to evaluate the implementation of the new Training Standards. |
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Survey shows impact of Covid-19 lockdown on use of restrictive practices |
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Survey: Towards Safer Services – Draft National Minimum Standards for Organisational Restraint Reduction Plans07/05/2020 We have created a survey to find out the extent of the applicability of Towards Safer Services to other sectors in its current form and where adaptions need to be made to support wider use. Read more and take the survey here> |
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“Together we can get through this difficult period”- My experience of life in lock-down29/04/2020 Amy recently moved back into the community after 11 years in inpatient mental health settings. In this blog post she writes about her experience of the Covid-19 lock-down. Read more here> |
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“This isn’t the time to give in” – My experience of the COVID-19 lock-down24/04/2020 Alexis Quinn, author of best-selling book ‘Unbroken’ which details her time spent in various Mental Institutions as an autistic person, writes about her experience of the Covid-19 lock-down and offers some advice. Read more here> |
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“I have been conditioned to sit and wait” – my experience of life in lock-down22/04/2020 John* spent nine years in psychiatric hospitals all around the country. He writes here about his experience of the Covid-19 lock-down . Read more here> |
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Team Beth – The Solution to Lock-down Blues20/04/2020 Jeremy, father to Beth, shares how Beth’s team is supporting her through the lock-down with activities, the right information and the right environment. Read more here> |
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Being Human Together: Coping with the Lived Experience of Fear During the Covid-19 Pandemic16/04/2020 Iris Benson MBE shares how she is coping with the Covid-19 lock-down and shares her lived experience of fear to help others in this time of uncertainty. |
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Our comment on the potential impact of Covid-1919/03/2020 Read the response from the Restraint Reduction Network |
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Our membership is changing16/03/2020 We are evolving the Restraint Reduction Network pledge to reflect the proactive and action-centred approach needed across sectors to see real, tangible change happen. |
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Response to Reducing Restrictive Intervention of Children and Young PeopleWe give our thoughts on this report, published on 10 February by PABSS and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation |
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Positive and Safe Network Events (March 2020)24 January 2020 Find out about the Network’s upcoming events here. |
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Positive and Safe Network Events (December 2019)30 October 2019 We’ve partnered with the Positive and Safe Network. Find out more about the Network and their upcoming events here. |
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Implement the Restraint Reduction Network Training Standards with this new benchmarking tool16 September 2019 Is your training in line with the new standards? More pointedly how do you find out? In order to make the process of comparing existing provision against the new standard simple, a benchmarking tool has been developed. |
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New Guidance published on Reducing Restrictive Interventions for Children28 June 2019 Yesterday (27/06/19), the Government published the long awaited ‘Reducing the Need for Restraint and Restrictive Intervention’ which covers children and young people with learning disabilities, autistic spectrum conditions and mental health difficulties in health and social care services and special education settings. |
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The Restraint Reduction Network Responds to Panorama’s Investigation of Whorlton Hall23 May 2019 The abuse and “psychological torture” exposed at Whorlton Hall in last night’s Panorama is appalling. It is deeply disturbing that modern society fails to better protect the most fundamental human rights of the most vulnerable people in society. Urgent systems change is needed to prevent this ever happening again. The time for change is now. |
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RRN response to CQC thematic review21 May 2019 This review provides CQC’s interim findings in their review of the use of restrictive interventions in places that provide care for people with mental health problems, a learning disability and/or autism. This report comes out at the same time as the Children’s Commissioner report into vulnerable children with learning disabilities who have been stuck in mental health hospitals for too long in poor conditions. |
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Government called to end use of pain compliance techniques and solitary confinement of detained children29 April 2019 A report produced by the UK Parliament’s Human Rights Committee has concluded that the Government has been in contravention of the Human Rights Act by sanctioning both the use of restraint techniques which induce pain and the solitary confinement of children in detention. The committee has called for an end to such practices. |
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Charities call for ban on use of painful restraint techniques on children04 April 2019 The Restraint Reduction Network does not endorse the use of pain-based techniques in education, health, and social care settings. |
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Patient and visitor aggression in healthcare: the nurse managers’ perspective (United Kingdom)02 April 2019 Patient and visitor aggression (PVA) is of global concern. A survey is being done to gain an overview and compare the current situation in mental health and general hospitals in Canada, the UK and the USA from the nurse manager’s perspective. |
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New Training Standards to reduce use of restraint for most vulnerable in society01 April 2019 New Training Standards have been launched today (1 Apr) by the Restraint Reduction Network to reduce the use of restrictive practices for some of the most vulnerable people in society. |
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Response to ‘No Safe Place: Restraint and Seclusion in Scotland’s Schools’21 Feb 2019 Kate Sanger, parent and expert by experience, writes her response to the Scottish Children’s Commissioner’s report on restraint and seclusion in Scotland’s schools |
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Scottish Children’s commissioner report on restraint and seclusion in schools13 Dec 2018 Tomorrow, the Scottish Children’s Commissioner is to publish a report on restraint and seclusion in schools. Parent, Founder and CEO of Positive & Active Behaviour Support Scotland, Beth Morrison, writes her response to the report below. |
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Bookings are open for new conference4 Dec 2018 Bookings are now open for this one day conference hosted in partnership with BILD and the Royal College of Psychiatrists on 5 February 2019.
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New conference for 201914 Nov 2018 Save the date for a one day conference hosted in partnership with BILD and the Royal College of Psychiatrists on 5 February 2019. |
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New Wednesday Webinars13 Sept 2018 The programme for the new Wednesday Webinars has been announced. Find out more |
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RRN Chair Prof Joy Duxbury to give her Professorial Lecture25th July 2018. Professor Joy Duxbury will be giving her lecture ‘In defence of the indefensible: The use of physical restraint in health and social care settings – The Sequel’ on 11 September. |
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32 women died following restraint in the last five years3rd July 2018. New research from Agenda shows 32 women detained under the Mental Health Act died after being restrained between 2012-2017. |
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New guidelines on recording, monitoring and regulation of restrictive interventions3oth May 2018. New guidelines on the recording, monitoring and regulation of restrictive interventions (RI) have just been published by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. |
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New inquiry launched into restraint and seclusion in Scottish schools3rd April 2018. The Children and Young People Commissioner for Scotland Bruce Adamson has launched a formal investigation into restraint and seclusion in schools. Campaigner Beth Morrison tells us why this is such an important step. |
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Free events to shape the future of the Restraint Reduction Network26 March 2018. Are you passionate about reducing the use of restrictive practices? Come to one of our free events and help us shape the future of the network. |
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Restraint Reduction Network Conference 20187 March 2018. Thanks to everyone who came to this year’s conference. It was a great success, find out more about this event. |
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Dispatches: Undercover: Inside the Priory20 February 2018. Channel 4 screened the latest undercover Dispatches programme last night (19 Feb) showing the unacceptable restraint of a patient at a specialist hospital. RRN Chair Professor Joy Duxbury was interviewed as part of the programme. |
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BILD urges MPs to back Seni’s LawNovember 2017. On Friday 3 November MPs will debate on a private members bill, dubbed “Seni’s Law”, to make people who use force in mental health units, including face-down restraint and chemical restraint, more accountable. BILD very much supports MP Steve Reed’s work to introduce the Use of Force (Seni’s Law) Bill. However, there is a strong case for this Bill to have a broader remit to cover the use of force with other vulnerable people, such as those with learning disabilities or autism.
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Addressing mental health within the Criminal Justice System21 October 2016. NICE are developing new draft guidelines to address mental health within the Criminal Justice System. Read More. |
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The Tin Man has a Heart27 September 2016. In this guest blog, Dr Andrew Hider introduces the key themes of the workshop he’ll be delivering at this year Restraint Reduction Conference. Read More. |
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A Compassionate Intervention27 September 2016. Guest blogger, Jo Varela, discusses the idea of ‘culture change’ as an integral part of reducing restraint in services. Read More. |
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The Six Core Strategies: Pitfalls & Pragmatics to Successful Implementation22 September 2016. Guest blogger, Dr Janice LeBel, gives us a sneak preview of her keynote presentation that will open October’s Restraint Reduction Conference. Read More. |
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Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint14 September 2016. Emma Sunley discusses Minimising and Managing Physical Restraint for young offenders. Read More. |
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The Journey to a Restraint-Free Academy12 September 2016. Maria Taylor, Co-Principal at Wishmore Cross Academy highlights some of the points from her conference keynote speech. Read More. |
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REsTRAIN YOURSELF9 September 2016. As part of our ongoing series of guest blogs, here Paul Greenwood from AQuA introduces some of the key aspects of the REsTRAIN YOURSELF programme. Read More. |
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Restraint Reduction2 September 2016. Guest blogger, Paul Dix from Pivotal Education gives us his perspective on the use of restraint when children and young people are involved and what you might consider to mitigate risk. Read More. |
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The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health3 August 2016. The end of July saw the publication of NHS England’s new report ‘Implementing the Five Year Forward View for Mental Health’. Read More. |
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Restraint of children in custody5 July 2016. The report found that “children held in custody in England and Wales are twice as likely to have force used against them by staff than they were five years ago”. Read More. |
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MP Norman Lamb to Present at the 2016 Conference7 June 2016. We’re delighted to announce that Norman Lamb, MP for North Norfolk and Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Health, will be delivering a keynote speech at the Restraint Reduction: Examining What Works conference taking place on the 6 and 7 October. Read More. |
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Mental Health Practice Award Winners16 May 2016. Restraint Reduction Network members, Black Country Partnerships NHS Foundation Trust recently walked away with the coveted RCNi 2016 Mental Health Practice Award. Read More. |
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Investigating Deaths in Mental Health Units and NHS Trusts4 May 2016. Panorama aired a programme in early April highlighting the lack of consistency surrounding the recording of deaths that occur in mental health units. Read More. |
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Taking ‘Control’ out of ‘Control and Restraint’28 April 2016. Restraint Reduction Network Chair and leading mental health expert, Professor Joy Duxbury explains why the language we use to describe restrictive interventions must change. Read More. |
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Preventing Deaths in Detention22 April 2016. The publication in March of the Equality and Human Rights Commission report on deaths in detention raised some serious issues, highlighting that hundreds of individuals are dying while in detention across the UK. Read More. |
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Time for Change: The Challenges Ahead |
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Sector round-up: Increasing investment and ongoing challenges |
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Using manual restraint to deliver clinical care: A professional dilemma |
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Prevention is better than cure |
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Developing and implementing a restraint reduction plan3 November 2015. Stephen Davison, Restrictive Intervention Lead at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Trust, previews his workshop sharing the experiences and cultural and organisational changes made within a Trust that had previously been reported as a high user of restraint. Read More. |
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Ensuring harmony not harm |
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Practice leadership and reducing restrictive practices26 October 2015. Roy Deveau, Honorary Research Associate at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent, is delivering a workshop at the November Restraint Reduction Conference examining the implementation of Department of Health policy, looking at frontline-practice leadership. Read More. |
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Restrictive practice in older adult care |
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Developing a tool for violence risk assessment |
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Restraint: A tool of humanising care? |
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Thinking, learning and understanding |
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Keynote Preview: Six Core Strategies |
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How well do we support unpaid carers with the challenges they face? |
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The Use of Floor Restraint |
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Fascinating Range of Workshops lined up for November |
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BBC Social Affairs Correspondent to Present at the Restraint Reduction Conference |
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Best Practice and Reducing the Need for Restraint |
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Six reasons to attend the 2015 Restraint Reduction Conference |
