What is a Restrictive Practice (RP)?

A restrictive practice (RP) is an action or intervention that limits a person’s human rights or freedom of movement. In the NDIS, five types are regulated: seclusion, chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, physical restraint and environmental restraint.

• Seclusion: keeping someone alone in a space and preventing, or implying they cannot, leave. Seclusion is the solitary confinement of a person with a disability in a room or a physical space at any hour of the day or night where the voluntary exit is prevented, not facilitated, or implied that voluntary exit is not permitted.
• Chemical restraint: using medication primarily to influence behaviour. Chemical restraint is the use of medication or chemical substances to influence a person's behaviour. It does not include the use of drugs prescribed by a medical practitioner for the treatment of, or to enable treatment of, a diagnosed mental disorder, a physical illness, or a physical condition.
• Mechanical restraint: using a device primarily to restrict movement or influence behaviour. Mechanical restraint uses a device to prevent, restrict, or subdue a person's movement for the primary purpose of influencing a person's behaviour, but does not include the use of devices for therapeutic or non-behavioural purposes.
• Physical restraint: holding a person, or part of their body, so they cannot move freely. Physical restraint is the use or action of physical force to prevent, restrict or subdue the movement of a person's body, or part of their body, for influencing their behaviour. Physical restraint does not include reflexively using a hands-on technique to guide or redirect a person away from potential harm/injury, consistent with what could reasonably be considered as the exercise of care towards a person.
• Environmental restraint: restricting access to places, items or activities. Environmental restraint restricts a person’s free access to all parts of their environment, including items or activities.

Restrictive practices are not a routine behaviour-management tool. The NDIS framework requires safeguards, a behaviour support plan and a focus on reducing and eliminating RP use.

Important Information

• All use of RP must be monthly reported to the Ndis Commission by the ndis provider.
• All RP use MUST be written into a behaviour support plan.
• If an RP is used and NOT written in a behavior support plan, the ndis provider MUST report "unauthorised us of RP" to the Ndis Commission within
  • Unauthorised restrictive practice with no harm to the participant within 5 business days
  • Unauthorised restrictive practice that resulted in harm within 24 hours.