What to do after you’ve used a restrictive practice

Use this checklist after you’ve used a restrictive practice to help you meet ACT laws.

This includes uses of a restrictive practice:

• agreed to in a Positive Behaviour Support Plan
• used in an emergency to prevent injury or harm to the person or others.

You can read about the laws and regulations in using restrictive practices in the ACT.

1. Check safety

Make sure that everyone is safe and get medical help if needed.

2. Report the restrictive practice

Report any use of a restrictive practice to the ACT Senior Practitioner.

This applies to uses of a restrictive practice that are:

• registered with the Senior Practitioner
• not registered and used in an emergency to prevent injury or harm to the person or others.

You may also have to report it to:

• the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission if the person is a NDIS participant
• parents or carers if the person is under 18
• legal guardians.

3. Review and debrief

What you need to do depends on whether the restrictive practice you used is registered with the Senior Practitioner.

Not registered

If you used a restrictive practice that is not registered:

1. Talk about what happened with everyone involved.
2. Make sure you involve the person who was restrained to get their view.
3. See if you need to do anything different to prevent it happening again.
4. Consider if the restrictive practice was a one-off or if you think you might need to use it again.
5. If you plan to use a restriction again, develop a positive behaviour support plan.
6. Get the plan approved and registered.

Registered

If the plan is registered and part of a positive behaviour support plan:

1. Check to see if everyone did what the plan says they should do.
2. If you need to change the plan, ask the ACT Senior Practitioner for help.

If a person who the plan is about wants to have their plan reviewed, you should work with them to review the plan.

If you decide to make changes to the plan you will need to get it approved and registered again.

4. Monitor and evaluate the plan

• Is the plan helping to decrease the behaviours of concern that the person uses?
• Is the person learning new ways to get their needs met that don't hurt themselves or other people?
• Is the restrictive practice still needed?

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