[CFS PLAYBOOK] BEHAVIOUR

[CFS POLICY] BEHAVIOUR

1.0 POLICY STATEMENT

Compass Forest School establishes clear, sturdy boundaries grounded in human connection, where every child can express themselves, feel understood and develop skills to manage their own needs successfully. To achieve this, Crew:

• Build trusting connections with children, equipping them with social and emotional regulation skills.

• Respond promptly and sensitively to dysregulation, respecting children’s rights and dignity.

• Engage in ongoing training and supervision to support children’s long-term growth and well-being.

1.1 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The below table sets out a number of terms and definitions used within this document and connected documents:

Behaviour; An action taken to meet a need, that can be shaped.

Emotional Regulation; The skill of managing feelings and emotions in a socially acceptable way.

Child/ren; A person under the age of 18.

Tribe ; The Compass Forest School community which includes all those directly connected - staff members, schools, parents, families and children

Parents ; Adults in a parenting role; e.g birth parents, step-parents, foster carers, adoptive parents, LA corporate parents

Crew ;  All those working for or on behalf of the school, full or part time, temporary or permanent, in either a paid or voluntary capacity

1.2 LEGAL FRAMEWORK AND STATUTORY GUIDANCE

Compass Forest School Playbooks are informed by statutory guidance, legislation and government standards that ensure the safe and effective delivery of Alternative Provision. Each Playbook interprets and applies these documents in ways specific to its area of practice.

Alternative Provision And National Standards

• Non‑School Alternative Provision Voluntary National Standards (2025/26) – The benchmark for quality, safety and outcomes in non-school settings.

• Arranging Alternative Provision (DfE) – Statutory guidance for LAs and schools on commissioning and reintegration.

• Education Acts 1996 & 2002 (Parts 3, 6, 7) – Legal duties for suitable education and pupil registration.

• School Attendance (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2024 – Mandatory requirements for daily attendance reporting and digital registers.

Safeguarding And Child Welfare

• Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE 2026) – Primary statutory guidance for safeguarding, including Operation Encompass and Filtering/Monitoring duties.

• Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) – Multi-agency guidance for identifying, responding to and preventing harm.

• Children Act 1989, 2004, 2006 – Core legal frameworks for care and protection of children.

• SEND Code of Practice (2015) – Guidance for supporting children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) and SEMH needs.

• Prevent Duty (Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015) – Duty to protect children from radicalisation and extremism.

• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Act 2003, Section 5B – Duty to report FGM in girls under 18.

Behaviour, Restraint And Seclusion

• The Schools (Recording and Reporting of Seclusion and Restraint) Regulations 2025 – Statutory Duty (Effective April 2026): Mandatory same-day written reporting to parents for any restrictive intervention.

• Education and Inspections Act 2006 (Section 93A) – The legal power to use reasonable force, strictly governed by the 2026 statutory duty.

• Education and Inspections Act 2006, Sections 88–94 – Legal requirements for behaviour, engagement, prevention of bullying and discipline policies.

Health, Safety And Medical Management

• Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 – General duty of care for staff, pupils and visitors.

• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – Requirement for robust risk assessments, preventive measures, appropriate information, instruction and training.

• Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions (DfE Statutory Guidance) – Requirements for Individual Healthcare Plans (IHPs) and the safe administration/storage of medication.

• Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 – Provision of first-aid equipment, trained personnel and procedures.

• Work at Height Regulations 2005 – Safe practice for climbing, ropes and platform work.

• RIDDOR 2013 – Mandatory incident reporting and record-keeping of serious injuries and dangerous occurrences.

• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 – Safe handling, storage and use of hazardous substances (fuels, cleansers, etc.)

Environmental Stewardship

• Environmental Protection Act 1990 (Section 34) – Duty of Care: Legal responsibility for safe waste management and fire safety (ash/embers/waste).

• Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 – Legal duty to protect habitats, nesting birds, and protected species during sessions.

• Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – Fire risk management and outdoor campfire precautions.

• DfE Health and Safety Guidance (2022) – Managing fire risks, emergency procedures and staff responsibilities.

Compliance And Governance

• School Staffing (England) Regulations 2009 – Safer recruitment and Single Central Record (SCR) duties.

• Childcare Act 2006 – Legal framework for Ofsted registration and compliance with the Compulsory and Voluntary Childcare Register including written procedures for handling complaints and maintaining records of complaints.

• Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 – Governs employment eligibility and the filtering of people with convictions.

Compass Forest School works in line with the safeguarding arrangements agreed and published by the local safeguarding partners. Statutory guidance identifies three safeguarding partners with responsibility for making arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of children within a local area.

These partners work together to identify and respond to the needs of children at risk of harm:

• The local authority (LA)

• An integrated care board for an area within the LA

• The chief officer of police for a police area in the LA area

Keeping Children Safe in Education makes clear that schools placing children into Alternative Provision retain responsibility for safeguarding those children.

Client schools must ensure that the provision is suitable, meets the child’s needs and provides appropriate safeguarding arrangements, with regular oversight, communication and review.

Compass Forest School supports this responsibility through transparent communication and timely sharing of safeguarding information with Client schools.

1.3 DATA PROTECTION

Compass Forest School processes personal data in compliance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR), the Data Protection Act 2018 and related legislation. Personal information is collected, stored, used and shared lawfully, securely and proportionately, in accordance with statutory guidance and Data Protection Playbook.

Crew are responsible for ensuring that personal data is handled accurately, confidentially and on a need-to-know basis. Safeguarding and public interest considerations may override confidentiality where this is lawful, necessary and proportionate.

1.4 DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION

Any use or disclosure of information held by Compass Forest School must have a clear and lawful basis. Unauthorised or unlawful disclosure of personal data may constitute a criminal offence under the Data Protection Act 2018.

All Crew must understand their responsibilities in relation to confidentiality, lawful information sharing and subject access rights under UK GDPR. Information will be shared without consent where there is a lawful basis to do so.

The Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR are not barriers to sharing information where there is a concern that a child may be at risk of significant harm. Where there is uncertainty about whether information should be shared, advice must be sought from a senior leader or Designated Safeguarding Lead before disclosure.

1.5 STATEMENT OF EQUALITY

Compass Forest School is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. Discrimination, harassment and victimisation are not tolerated. Many children attending Compass Forest School experience additional vulnerabilities or barriers to participation, safety or wellbeing.

These may include special educational needs or disabilities, experiences of discrimination, family or environmental adversity, risk of exploitation or abuse, being looked after or previously looked after, or instability in education or care arrangements.

Crew proactively identify and reduce inequality by making reasonable adjustments, adapting practice and ensuring that decisions are fair, proportionate and responsive to individual need. All children and Crew are treated with dignity and respect and are supported to feel safe, valued and heard.

[CFS PROCESSES] BEHAVIOUR

2.0 PROCESSES STATEMENT

Compass Forest School promotes a consistent, trauma-informed and legally compliant approach to behaviour that safeguards children’s rights, dignity and wellbeing. Behaviour is understood as an action taken to meet a need, which can be shaped. Crew respond to this information with curiosity, clear boundaries and skilled support rather than shame or punishment.

Children develop regulation through safe relationships, predictable environments and repeated opportunities to practise emotional skills. Crew therefore create conditions in which children feel seen, secure and supported, while making reasonable adjustments where necessary to ensure full and safe participation.

Compass Forest School identifies eight core Processes that support Crew in meeting policy aims and statutory responsibilities surrounding Behaviour. These are: Defined Roles And Responsibilities, Behaviour Training for Crew, Creating a Supportive Environment, Responding To Dysregulation, Crisis Response And Safety Planning, Restrictive Intervention And Seclusion Of A Child, Restorative Practices, Coaching Emotional Skills Through Co-Regulation.

Each process is underpinned by clear procedures that provide practical guidance and ensure a consistent, proportionate and effective approach to Behaviour. 

2.1 DEFINED ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Clear roles and responsibilities help Crew act quickly, confidently and consistently when everyone understands what they must do and who to pass concerns to. Issues are then identified earlier, decisions are made properly, actions are recorded accurately and effective oversight is maintained at every level of the company.

Defined responsibilities sit with the owner, relevant senior leaders, the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) and all Crew. While some roles carry additional authority and accountability, responsibility is shared. No concern is ever “someone else’s job”. No child or adult should be left at risk because someone assumed another person would act.

Everyone has a duty to speak up, pass on concerns and challenge unsafe practice, poor judgement or wrongdoing in a professional and respectful way. This shared responsibility is critical to identifying risks early and preventing harm wherever reasonably practicable. Within an Alternative Provision context, Compass Forest School places strong emphasis on prevention.

Crew support children to develop the skills, confidence and understanding needed to stay safe and thrive. This is reinforced through clear Playbooks, training, consistent day-to-day practice and oversight by the Designated Safeguard Lead and Deputy. Arrangements are reviewed regularly and updated in line with statutory guidance to ensure practice remains current, effective and proportionate.

2.2 BEHAVIOUR TRAINING FOR CREW

Compass ensures all Crew receive training on supporting children’s behaviour in a way that prioritises emotional safety, co-regulation, and skill-building. Children are born with all the feelings but none of the skills to manage them. Crew are equipped with strategies to help children regulate emotions, set compassionate boundaries and create an environment where children feel safe to express themselves. Crew receive ongoing coaching, reflective supervision and updates informed by emerging practice, incidents and individual need.

2.3 CREATING A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

Crew create an environment where children feel seen, safe, and connected. Building relationships based on trust, validation of all feelings and emotions, and use of proactive strategies to manage and support distress before escalation. The physical environment is designed to reduce stressors, encourage autonomy, and support children in developing emotional awareness.

Predictability, clear expectations, and gentle guidance help children feel secure. Regular reflection times at the start and of each session within the Crew maintains a consistent, emotionally attuned approach.

2.4 RESPONDING TO DYSREGULATION

When a child becomes overstimulated, the first response is connection. Crew approach overstimulation with curiosity, offering calm presence rather than immediate correction. Strategies include naming emotions, regulating alongside the child, and offering choices to restore a sense of control. Boundaries are set with warmth, ensuring that expectations are clear but do not escalate shame or fear.

2.5 CRISIS RESPONSE AND SAFETY PLANNING

When a child enters a fight-or-flight state, they may be operating from a heightened stress response or survival state rather than a reflective state. Crew prioritise de-escalation by creating physical and emotional safety through calm, non-threatening presence. High Adult-to-child ratio enables Crew to be deployed safely and effectively as a co-ordinated team.

This allows one Crew member to maintain connection with the child, while others support the wider group, manage environmental risks and help preserve safety for everyone present. Where appropriate, individual safety plans inform how Crew respond to known triggers, patterns of dysregulation and preferred regulation strategies.

Instead of chasing or unnecessarily restraining a fleeing child, the focus is on ensuring their environment is safe while using soothing, familiar cues to help them regain a sense of security. For children in fight mode, Crew maintain a neutral stance, avoid power struggles and provide simple choices to restore a sense of control.

After the moment passes, reflection happens when the child is regulated, supporting them to build awareness and skills for future challenges. 

2.6 RESTRICTIVE INTERVENTION AND SECLUSION OF A CHILD

Restrictive interventions, including physical intervention, restraint and non-force restrictive interventions, are used only as a last resort by trained Crew where a child presents a real and immediate risk of harm to themselves or others. Crew are trained to exhaust proactive support, de-escalation, co-regulation, environmental adjustments and effective forward planning before considering any restrictive practice, wherever reasonably practicable.

Where restrictive intervention is necessary, it must be proportionate, reasonable in the circumstances, time-limited and the least restrictive option available. Following any incident, the child’s welfare, emotional recovery and relationships are prioritised. Incidents are recorded promptly, reviewed by the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL), shared with parents, carers and the client school where appropriate, and used to inform reflection, learning and future planning.

Crew do not use seclusion. No child will be intentionally confined alone in a space from which they are prevented from leaving. Any supported withdrawal from activity is supervised, proportionate and used only to promote safety or regulation.

2.7 RESTORATIVE PRACTICES

Conflict is inevitable, but punitive responses are not. Crew use restorative approaches to help children repair and rebuild trust after challenges. Instead of focusing on blame, Crew guide children through reflecting on their actions, understanding their impact, and finding ways to restore connection. Restorative conversations prioritise accountability without shame and encourage children to take ownership and accountability in a competence appropriate way.

2.8 COACHING EMOTIONAL SKILLS THROUGH CO-REGULATION

Self-regulation is not an inborn ability. It is learned through consistent, attuned relationships. Crew model emotional regulation, narrate their own coping strategies and help children move through big emotions safely. Instead of demanding immediate compliance, Crew focus on skill-building, ensuring children develop the ability to pause, reflect, and respond thoughtfully over time.

2.9 RECORD KEEPING

High-quality record keeping underpins safeguarding, accountability and continuous improvement across Compass Forest School. Crew maintain accurate, timely and secure records of concerns, incidents, accidents, decisions and actions to ensure risks are identified, managed and reviewed effectively.

Records are factual, clearly dated, and attributable, written in professional, objective language. They distinguish facts, professional judgement, and actions taken, avoiding assumptions, emotive language, or unsubstantiated conclusions. All relevant matters are recorded without delay on Compass Forest School’s secure 'LearnTrek' system.

Records may support the identification of patterns, trends or emerging risks to inform learning, oversight and proactive planning. Crew are expected to seek guidance from the relevant Designated Lead if unsure whether to record an issue. Records are stored and managed in line with UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, and other applicable legislation.

Access is restricted to those with a legitimate professional role and information is shared strictly on a need-to-know basis. Records are retained in accordance to statutory requirements and recognised best practice. They are reviewed regularly to support transparency, learning, accountability and the continuous improvement. Crew are accountable for maintaining records that reflect the highest professional standards.

2.10 WHISTLEBLOWING

Compass Forest School creates a culture where concerns can be raised openly, honestly and in good faith, without fear of reprisal or victimisation. Crew have a professional duty to report concerns about the conduct, behaviour or practice of colleagues or the organisation where children, Crew or others may be at risk.

Safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) or Deputy DSL. If the concern relates to the DSL, it must be raised via the independent whistleblowing service, SafeCall (0800 915 1571). Crew must never investigate concerns themselves or delay reporting. Failing to report, regardless of personal relationships or perceived seriousness, may be regarded as condoning unsafe practice.

Where appropriate, concerns should be documented factually before or during reporting. All reports are treated seriously, confidentially and investigated promptly. Whistleblowing is a vital safeguarding mechanism and forms part of Compass Forest School’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and child-centred practice.

2.11 MONITORING ARRANGEMENTS

This Playbook is reviewed at least annually by the Owner and Designated Safeguarding Lead to ensure it remains effective, compliant and aligned with best practice and statutory guidance. Reviews also consider feedback from Crew, families and Client schools. Playbooks are updated immediately in response to changes in legislation or guidance. Monitoring ensures the Playbook continues to support safe, personalised, and effective provision for all learners.

2.12 LINKS TO OTHER PLAYBOOKS OF RELEVANCE

Compass Forest Schools Behaviour Playbook links to the following Playbooks :

Safeguarding and Child Protection

Managing Allegations

Safer Recruitment

Health And Safety