The Realities of Restrictive Practices: Supporting Behaviour as Communication and Human Rights
Restrictive practices take away people’s freedom to control their behaviours. This is a breach of their human rights. Whilst the restrictive practice could be the only way to keep the person and those around them safe, they often stop us from hearing what the person is really trying to say.
Imagine someone shouting, hitting, or running away. Those actions are not just “bad behaviour”, they are messages. A person might be scared or in pain, and unable to say what they need at that time. When we use restrictive practices, we are choosing to control the conversation. These actions can stop the immediate behaviour, but don’t fix the reason behind leaving the person feeling frightened, humiliated, and trapped.
Human Rights and Safeguards in Australia
In Australia, the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission closely monitors five main types of restrictive practices: chemical, mechanical, physical, environmental restraint and seclusion. The Commission’s role is to reduce and eliminate these practices and to make sure they are only used when there is no other safe option. This work is tied to international human rights rules that say people with disability must be treated with dignity and have the same freedoms as everyone else (United Nations, 2006), rules that Australia has agreed to follow (NDIS, 2020).
Why Understanding Function Matters
When a person engages in a behaviour that is well understood, a restrictive practice may still be needed to keep the person safe. However, understanding the function allows us to treat the underlying cause of the behaviour, such as pain from an ear infection. Therefore, once the underlying cause is properly supported, say through medical intervention to treat the infection, the behaviour will cease. In turn, the need for the restrictive practice to protect safety will also cease, and the restrictive practice will no longer be used. This means that the person’s human rights are met and they have a greater quality of life, while still protecting their safety. There are of course times were identifying why the behaviour is being used is not as simple, nor is finding the appropriate supports to address this. This is because behaviour can be caused by more complex circumstances such as adverse life experiences, trauma, loneliness, or a wide range of communication variations. In these circumstances, restrictive practices will be used for longer periods of time while a deeper analysis of the function is carried out.
It is important to know that a person always engages in a behaviour because it is useful to them. It will get them attention, allow them to avoid something unpleasant, or give them the stimulation they are seeking when their life is empty. If we use restrictive practices to stop the behaviour, without exploring the function of its use for the person, we are ignoring their attempt to communicate what they need.
Positive Behaviour Support and Planning
To determine how to best support these types of behaviours, start with a behaviour support practitioner who will complete a careful and considered check called a functional behaviour assessment. This looks to find out the function of the behaviour and what it is doing for the person. From there, a plan will be developed that teaches them new skills, informs supports on ways to change the environment, and offers additional or alternative meaningful activities. These plans use positive, trauma‑informed approaches that aim to meet the person’s needs, so the behaviour is no longer needed. They can also outline any restrictive practices that might protect someone in an emergency, but they should be well planned and always used as the last resort, used for the shortest period of time, and is the least harmful option, never the first choice.
Moving Toward Dignity and Quality of Life
The reality is clear: restraint can keep people safe for a moment, but it can also cause lasting harm. If we want people to live with dignity, independence, and real inclusion, we must listen to behaviour as communication, fix the causes where we can, and replace control with care. The goal is not just fewer behavioural incidents, it is a better life.
References
NDIS. (2020). Regulated Restrictive Practices Guide.
United Nations (2006). United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html
About the author
Lauren is a Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) practitioner with two years of experience at KEO Care. Lauren specialises in the adult space with a focus on supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities and reducing restrictive practices. She brings a strong background in behaviour support, having previously worked across early childhood, school settings, and child protection. Lauren holds a Master of Social Work and is committed to promoting inclusion, dignity, and person-centred approaches in all aspects of her practice.
