IBC X CPI Partnership: Reducing Restraint, Building Confidence

At a glance

The Story

Restraint should always be the last thing that happens — and the first thing we work to avoid. Over the past two years that principle has turned into a number we are proud of: restraint across the people we support has fallen by more than 40%.

A new film released by the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), filmed at the iBC Healthcare training hub with our East Midlands team, sets out how we got there — and what it has meant for people’s daily lives.

More than holds and disengagements

iBC supports a diverse group of people: people with autism, people with mental health conditions, and people with specialist and complex needs. Over four and a half years the organisation has grown considerably, and with that growth came the question that matters more than any other — how do we make sure the standard of support stays the same everywhere.

CPI’s Safety Intervention training is part of the answer. It is often assumed that physical intervention training is about holds and disengagements. In practice, it is mostly about everything that happens before that point.

Why reducing restraint matters

Behind the percentage is something simpler. Being held is frightening, and it takes away a person’s control over their own body at exactly the moment they most need to feel safe.

“Nobody likes to be in a situation where they have no agency or control over their own body. It’s a traumatic situation to be in. So any way that we can reduce that kind of restriction, and that kind of restraint, is always a plus.

”Vincent Courage   Training & Development Manager, iBC Healthcare

De-escalation has been the single most effective change. Teams are reading situations earlier, recognising triggers sooner, and responding in ways that keep everyone safe without a hand being laid on anyone.

• Significant improvements in staff confidence, and significantly less burnout
• No blanket restrictions — support is built around the individual, not the rule book
• Fewer restraints year on year, even as the needs we support become more complex

“We’ve had individuals who’ve had 90 to 100% incident and restraint reduction. We’ve had significant improvements in staff confidence, significantly less burnout. So the people we support have had a significantly better life as a result — because they’re not being restrained all day, every day.”

James Punch   PBS Lead, iBC Healthcare

One person’s story

One man we support had been in hospital, where staff were frightened of him. Meals were passed to him through a door. People moved away when he approached. He came to iBC, to a team with the right training and the right support around them.

“A year and a half ago, he was locked away, with four staff who were terrified of him. Since he moved to us, he’s had two very low-level incidents. No restraint needed, no further incident.”

James Punch   PBS Lead, iBC Healthcare

Homes, not hospitals

Getting people out of hospital and into a place that feels like home has always been the aim at iBC. Good training is what makes that possible, and what makes it stick: teams who feel confident do not need to fall back on restriction, and people who feel safe make progress.

“With the training, you get that confidence in trying to de-escalate. It builds the relationship, increases communication skills, and helps you pinpoint the triggers of the people you’re supporting. It gives colleagues the tools to do the job well.”

Stefan Edowhe   Field Care Supervisor, iBC Healthcare

Where we go next

With around 1,500 colleagues and plans to extend our offering to people across the country, the challenge is consistency: making sure the training is not just delivered but embedded in day-to-day support everywhere we work. CPI has stayed flexible as we have grown and has become a sounding board as well as a training provider — somewhere to take an unusual situation and get evidence-based advice on what has worked elsewhere.

“What we find can be a challenge is making sure that we provide the training that is then embedded consistently out there, supporting people on a day-to-day basis. CPI remained flexible with us, so we can continue offering a standard of care to the people we support whilst continuing to train our colleagues to the best possible standard.”

Anna Goscombe   Director of Quality, Compliance & Therapeutic Services, iBC Healthcare

“We’re continuing our partnership with CPI simply because it’s working. We’re reducing restraints despite supporting more complex needs over time. The feedback is always extremely positive, and it’s helped to shape the culture that we have now. I can only see it getting better and more effective as time goes on.”

Dan Wade   Head of Learning and Development, iBC Healthcare

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