Case study 2 - Reasonable Force, Duty of Care & Defensible Decision-Making
The Challenge
During a crisis leadership and decision-making session, we explored one of the most difficult issues leaders and staff can face: when intervention may be necessary to prevent harm and what constitutes reasonable action in the circumstances.
The discussion considered reasonable force, individual responsibility and the importance of understanding what staff may be able or expected to do when confronted with a rapidly developing situation.
The training then moved from theory into a realistic scenario based on circumstances similar to a real-life school incident which had ended tragically.
The real incident had attracted widespread publicity and resulted in continuing scrutiny of whether sufficient action had been taken to prevent the outcome. The reputational consequences extended beyond the immediate event to the school and those associated with it.
Our Approach
Rather than simply asking participants what they thought they would do, the scenario required them to consider the situation through a structured decision-making framework.
Participants considered:
- What information was known at the time?
- What was the immediate risk?
- Who might be harmed?
- What options were realistically available?
- Who had responsibility for acting?
- What action would be reasonable and proportionate?
- What might happen if nobody acted?
- How would the rationale for the decision be recorded and subsequently explained?
The exercise reinforced an important principle of crisis leadership:
Choosing not to act can itself be a decision and may also need to be justified afterwards.
The Outcome
The session gave participants greater clarity about their individual and collective roles during a serious incident.
Importantly, the learning extended beyond operational staff. Governors and senior leaders considered their responsibility for ensuring that appropriate arrangements, training and risk-mitigation measures were in place before an incident occurred.
Participants reported feeling better equipped to understand their responsibilities and more confident about making and explaining difficult decisions should they subsequently face scrutiny.
Key Learning
Confidence in a crisis doesn’t come from knowing exactly what will happen. It comes from understanding your role, having a framework for making decisions and being able to explain why you acted as you did.
Participant Feedback
