Linkages
Working together with the residential child care workforce
For systems to change, individuals in all parts of that system need to be involved meaningfully so that innovative ideas ripple through. In Scotland, for the use of physical restraint to lessen and, where possible, be eliminated, residential child care workers, their managers, social workers, commissioning local authorities, and policy and law makers all need to be involved and work towards interconnected goals.
Efforts in one area to reduce restraint should ripple through others, while making sure no destructive waves are created. Ultimately, children and young people should notice a difference and tell us about it. This is no mean feat, and the Holding Differently project will contribute in small but important ways to that wider effort.
But this is far from the only work needed to get there. Once Holding Differently concludes in 2028, we hope that what we have created will be used by others working at policy level and with children and young people, creating further ripple effects across the sector.
Our main contribution is to engage with the residential child care workforce in several different ways, which are outlined below.
SPRAG
Early on, the Scottish Physical Restraint Action Group identified that research is needed to understand what happens when a physical restraint is averted. This led to a pilot study, which ultimately helped pave the way for the Holding Differently project.
To continue working in service of the SPRAG membership, and the development of the workforce more widely, Holding Differently is supported in different ways and at different times by SPRAG members.
If you are not yet part of SPRAG, get in touch at celcis@strath.ac.uk and put Scottish Physical Restraint Action Group in the subject line.
The Short Life Working Group
The short life working group was set up in early 2026. During monthly meetings, this SPRAG subgroup helps shape the design of the questionnaire for Phase 1.
For example, the group suggests themes and areas of practice that need to be addressed in the questionnaire. It also gives feedback on early drafts of questions to ensure the wording is clear.
The short life working group also supports the recruitment strategy for the questionnaire. It is an invaluable sounding board, helping to ensure that the questionnaire reflects the workforce's experience, increases the relevance and accessibility of questions, and improves the likelihood of a strong response rate.
Holding Differently Champions
Other SPRAG members have opted to champion the questionnaire when it is ready to be completed. Champions are well connected within the sector and will share the questionnaire directly with residential child care workers and managers.
Previous experience of running workforce surveys tells us that we need to communicate widely and in many different ways to ensure maximum engagement. Without a good response rate, the information gathered by the survey will not fulfil its aim of offering a meaningful picture of the current state of play in relation to the use of physical restraint in Scottish residential child care.
Get in touch if you would like to become a champion before September 2026.
Creating resources
Another short life working group from the SPRAG membership will be formed towards the end of the project to work collaboratively and turn some of the learning from the research into a set of resources that can be used for training.
This is intended to support the workforce to develop the skills and confidence needed to avoid physical restraint wherever possible.
Once these resources are available, we will share them here.
CELCIS, The Promise, the SSSC, the CYPCS and the Care Inspectorate
The Holding Differently team is also working in collaboration with colleagues from CELCIS to support wider engagement with the residential child care workforce. They are also providing expertise, and practical and reflective support.
We are also forging links with the SSSC, the Care Inspectorate and the CYPCS to make Phase 1 of the research as comprehensive as possible.
Our Independent Advisory Group
We have asked practitioners, learning and development managers, academics and policy makers connected to restraint reduction efforts across the UK and the USA to come together twice a year and act as the Holding Differently team's critical friends.
This is important so that we draw on wider expertise, keep an eye on fulfilling our objectives, and remain accountable for the decisions we make.