We call on the Government to launch a review of the statutory guidance on school behaviour policies which looks into ending any punitive measures and investing in restorative, trauma-informed approaches.

We believe schools should support mental health, inclusion, and equity—especially for disadvantaged and neurodiverse students. We believe current school behaviour policies rely heavily on punitive measures that can damage young people’s mental health, fuel exclusion rates and disproportionately impact disadvantaged and neurodiverse students. We feel we need a restorative, trauma-informed approach that prioritises emotional safety, inclusion and long-term wellbeing in education. With around 1 in 5 young people in the UK experiencing a mental health condition and permanent exclusions at around 10,883 in England in 23/24, we believe we cannot ignore this crisis.