Behaviour Incident Reporting Procedure

Info

Status: pending-signoff · Version: 05.26 · Last reviewed: 2026-05-21 · Next review: 2027-05-21 Owner: Head · Approved by: Proprietor + Governing Body

1. Purpose

This procedure sets out how behaviour incidents at The Haven are recorded, reviewed and acted on. It supports the Relational Behaviour and Regulation Policy and ensures that records are kept consistently to inform learner support, quality assurance, and safeguarding.

2. What is a behaviour incident

For the purposes of this procedure, a behaviour incident is any incident that:

  • Causes or is likely to cause harm to another learner, member of staff or the learner themselves.
  • Constitutes bullying, harassment or discriminatory behaviour.
  • Involves online safety concerns including misuse of platforms, sharing of inappropriate content, or breach of the BYOD or Online Safety policies.
  • Significantly disrupts the learning of others.
  • Suggests an underlying unmet need or wellbeing concern. Routine fluctuations in engagement, demand avoidance, withdrawal or refusal are not, in themselves, behaviour incidents. They are understood under the Relational Behaviour and Regulation Policy.

3. Recording

Behaviour incidents are recorded in the secure incident log, accessible to authorised senior staff and the DSL. Each entry includes:

  • Date, time and platform / setting.
  • Staff member completing the record.
  • Learner(s) involved.
  • Factual description of what happened.
  • Action taken at the time.
  • Follow-up required.
  • Cross-references to any safeguarding record, where applicable. Records are factual, not interpretive. Records distinguish clearly between observed behaviour and inferences about cause.

4. Routing

Behaviour incidents are routed depending on type:

  • Low-level incidents: addressed by the educator, recorded, reviewed by the mentor.
  • Moderate incidents (e.g. repeated disruption, exclusion of a peer, low-level online safety): escalated to the Head, reviewed and addressed in partnership with the learner and family.
  • Serious incidents (bullying, identity-based abuse, online safety concern, harm to self or others): immediately escalated to the DSL; safeguarding procedures take precedence.
  • Where a member of staff is implicated: routed under the Managing Allegations or Low-Level Concerns policies.

5. Review and action

All recorded incidents are reviewed by the Head / DSL at least weekly during term. Action may include:

  • Conversation with the learner.
  • Adjustment to the learning plan.
  • Repair work between learners.
  • Family communication.
  • Referral to additional support.
  • Safeguarding action where the threshold is met.
  • Review of environmental factors (timetabling, session design, peer grouping).

Behaviour incident data is reviewed termly as part of the Quality Assurance Policy. Trends and themes inform staff training, policy review and curriculum design. Findings are reported to governors through the termly governance dashboard.

7. Communication with families

Families are informed of incidents involving their young person proportionately to the significance. Routine low-level matters are communicated in regular check-ins; significant incidents are communicated promptly by the Head or DSL.

8. Data protection and retention

Behaviour incident records are held securely and retained in line with the Data Retention Policy.

  • Relational Behaviour and Regulation Policy
  • Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy
  • Child-on-Child Abuse Policy
  • Anti-Bullying Policy
  • Online Safety Policy
  • Quality Assurance Policy
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Data Retention Policy
  • Managing Allegations and Low-Level Concerns policies

10. Review

This procedure is reviewed annually by the Head / DSL and approved by the Board of Governors.

Document version1.0
Date issuedMay 2026
Next reviewMay 2027
Document ownerHead / DSL
Approved byBoard of Governors