The Restraint Reduction Network (RRN) Training Standards are a set of ethical guidelines designed to protect human rights and support the elimination of unnecessary restrictive practices in education, health, and social care settings. They provide a national and international benchmark for training programmes that include restrictive interventions, ensuring that such practices are used only when absolutely necessary and in the most dignified manner possible.

Key Objectives of the RRN Training Standards

1. Protect Human Rights: Promote person-centred, best-interest, and therapeutic approaches when supporting individuals in distress.
2. Enhance Quality of Life: Improve the well-being of both those subjected to restraint and those providing support.
3. Reduce Restrictive Practices: Encourage positive cultures and practices that focus on prevention, de-escalation, and reflective practice.
4. Understand Behavioural Causes: Recognise that many behaviours result from distress due to unmet needs, and address these root causes appropriately.
5. Ensure Safe Practices: When restrictive interventions are necessary, ensure they are conducted in the safest and most dignified manner.

Since April 2020, it has been a statutory requirement in England that organisations delivering training on restrictive practices in settings covered by the Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 must be certified as meeting the RRN Training Standards. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) expects all services across health and social care to use training certified as complying with these standards.

The RRN Training Standards apply to all training that includes a restrictive intervention component, providing a consistent framework across various sectors. They are particularly relevant for services supporting individuals with mental health conditions, learning disabilities, autism, and dementia.

By adhering to these standards, organisations commit to upholding the dignity and rights of individuals, ensuring that restrictive practices are minimised and, when unavoidable, applied safely and ethically.