There is "little explicit guidance" for Canberra teachers about the use of "physical restraint or seclusion" when it comes to students with complex needs, an independent review has found.

The ACT Government today released a 275-page report into the way children with "complex needs and challenging behaviours" can be accommodated in Canberra's school system.

The Schools for all Children and Young People report was released in response to an incident in April where a 10-year-old boy with autism was placed in a cage at a Canberra primary school described as a withdrawal space.

The event made international headlines and led to the dismissal of the school's principal.

The report released today found ACT public, private and independent school systems to be performing strongly overall, but said a number of challenges still existed in relation to special needs students.

The expert panel responsible for compiling the report was comprised of Emeritus Professor Anthony Shaddock, paediatrician Sue Packer and the Commissioner for Children and Young People Alasdair Roy.

The panel made 50 recommendations in total, and an ACT Government response shows all of them have either been agreed to, or agreed to in principle.

Where the extra $7 million is going $430,000 to innovative approaches for supporting students with complex needs

$430,000 to innovative approaches for supporting students with complex needs $3m to enhance and develop sensory spaces

$3m to enhance and develop sensory spaces $250,000 to a Positive Behavioural Support program

$250,000 to a Positive Behavioural Support program $100,000 scholarships for complex needs training of teachers and staff

$100,000 scholarships for complex needs training of teachers and staff $90,000 to professional learning and online complex needs training

$90,000 to professional learning and online complex needs training $50,000 to parental engagement in schools

"Our focus is very much on prevention and proactivity," Professor Shaddock said.

"Schools run for students not for us... Therefore everything we do has to be for them and that means rethinking and remodelling a lot of things we do now to say 'how can we make them more student friendly?'."

The Government has also committed $7 million to a suite of initiatives designed to improve school environments for children with complex needs.

About $3 million of that will go towards developing and improving withdrawal or "sensory" spaces.

In relation to the use of withdrawal spaces in schools, the report said there was "little explicit guidance for ACT school teachers about their obligations in relation to the use of restrictive practices such as physical restraint or seclusion".

Professor Shaddock said the panel spoke to or heard from 2,000 people, including teachers, parents and students.

About a quarter of teachers surveyed reported students being aggressive to peers at least once a week, with half of them calling the situations "extremely challenging".

"When we have to relocate the entire population of a school unit because two to three children are rampaging destroying everything in sight and being violent towards other staff and students... learning is disrupted and the children are frightened and probably traumatised, as are the staff," one teacher said.

"It is not OK to come to work every day wondering if you would be hit or kicked," said another.

A picture of the cage was allegedly mounted on a pinboard in the classroom. ( Supplied )

Education Minister Joy Burch said the ACT's Catholic and independent schools were involved in the process and would be looking to adopt successful new strategies.

"The public education system, the independent schools and the Catholic education system stand as one to say 'we have a mind to do best by all our students'," she said.

"You do not necessarily need to be a child with a disability to demonstrate challenging behaviours.

"We've got good foundations in our schools... we've got experts... we have the structures in place.

"But it's not just a case of money it's about how you keep working to target your resources."

Teachers 'being physically abused': Opposition

Opposition spokesman Steve Doszpot said the review showed teachers needed more support.

"As evidenced by the survey in the review, a very large percentage have indicated that they haven't had adequate support from the special support teams through education," he said.

"We're leaving teachers in the position of serious need."

Mr Doszpot said the Canberra Liberals have called on the ACT Government to supply more counsellors, psychologists and support networks for teachers.

"People should be aware of the complex jobs teachers have," he said.

"They have more and more children with special needs coming into our schools.

"There's a large percentage of teachers who get physically abused, there's a large percentage of teachers who get verbally abused."

ACT Australian Education Union secreatry Glen Fowler said that student support was also an issue that needed to be addressed.

"It has now been recognised that teachers need greater support, and there needs to be central oversight of that support," he said.

"We've talked about the training of people, and ensuring that happens, but also, we need a significant investment in extra school psychologists.

"We've got Professor Shaddock and his eminent panel indicating that 1:500 is an appropriate ratio of psychologists to students, the ratio currently is significantly higher than that."

"We really need a commitment from government now, over the next 12 months to make sure that we have the right level of school psychologist support."