Prohibit Pain Compliance Techniques
IICSA · The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse · Issued 20 October 2022 · Addressed to: UK Government
Government responseUK Government: Not accepted (May 2023)
DeliveryMinistry of Justice says not accepted (Jan 2026)UK Government says not accepted (Apr 2025)
Recommendation, verbatim from the inquiry
●Inquiry recommendation, K.3
The Inquiry recommends (as originally stated in its Sexual Abuse of Children in Custodial Institutions: 2009-2017 Investigation Report, dated February 2019) that the UK government prohibits the use of any technique that deliberately induces pain (previously referred to by the Inquiry as 'pain compliance techniques') by withdrawing all policy permitting its use in custodial institutions in which children are detained, and setting out that this practice is prohibited by way of regulation.
IICSA, The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse · 20 Oct 2022 Source PDF →
Published evidence summary
AI-generated evidence summary
In a January 2026 parliamentary answer, Jake Richards, Minister, answering for the Ministry of Justice, confirmed that the government rejected the recommendation and "will not be introducing legislation", stating that staff must be able to use these techniques as a last resort in emergencies to protect children and staff (Jake Richards, Jan 2026). HM Government had earlier reported in an April 2025 progress update that it would work with the Youth Custody Service on staff training and maintain oversight through an Independent Restraint Review Panel (Home Office, Apr 2025). It had first stated in May 2023 that custodial staff must be trained in safe pain-inducing techniques to prevent children from self-harming or causing physical harm to others (Home Office response, May 2023).
AI-generated summary of the record on this page, checked by a second model and automatic checks, 26 Sep 2026.
Government response
●UK Government · Not accepted · 22 May 2023
It is essential that staff are equipped to keep children safe in custodial institutions. That is why they must be trained in the use of safe pain-inducing techniques for scenarios where they may need to prevent children from self-harming or causing physical harm to other children.
Extract from: Government response to the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
Delivery
●Ministry of Justice says not accepted · 21 Jan 2026
The Government rejected recommendation 5 from the Inquiry and will not be introducing legislation. Where physical safety of all children and staff in custody is concerned, it is important that trained staff are able to use these techniques, as a last resort in an emergency, to bring an incident to a safe conclusion.
●UK Government says not accepted · 9 Apr 2025
The Government recognises the particular vulnerability of children in custody but to protect all children in custody, and staff, where physical safety is at significant risk, it is important that trained staff are able to use these techniques, as a last resort in an emergency, to bring an incident to a safe conclusion. We will work with the Youth Custody Service to ensure that staff continue to be appropriately trained in their safe use and that independent oversight, through an Independent Restraint Review Panel, ensures scrutiny and transparency over all uses of these techniques.
From: Tackling child sexual abuse: progress update (accessible version)
How this page is built
The recommendation and the government responses are verbatim from primary documents. Delivery statements and other bodies' findings are shown in their own words, each with its source. The summary is written by this site and labelled as such. The Index does not paraphrase sources or characterise intent; it records what has been published.