The 5 Types of Restrictive Practices in the NDIS (with Examples)
- Julian Vilsten
- Jan 23
- 3 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Restrictive practices are a deeply sensitive and highly regulated area of disability support. They involve interventions that intentionally limit the rights or freedom of movement of a person, and their use is considered a serious matter under the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). While restrictive practices may sometimes be necessary to prevent immediate harm, they must always be used as a last resort and with the person’s dignity and rights firmly in mind.
Understanding what constitutes a restrictive practice, the types that are regulated, and how they should be used is essential for NDIS providers, carers, and support teams. It's also critical to understand the impact these practices can have on the person, and the responsibilities that come with using them.
Why Restrictive Practices Matter
At their core, restrictive practices can impact a person’s autonomy, emotional wellbeing, and quality of life. Even when used with good intentions, they can feel disempowering, confusing, or distressing to the individual. This is why national and international frameworks exist to ensure their careful, considered use.
The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission is responsible for overseeing how restrictive practices are used in Australia. Its guidelines are aligned with broader legal protections, including the Charter of Human Rights and Responsibilities, which protects individuals' rights to freedom, dignity, and self-determination.
All use of restrictive practices must be:
Authorised by relevant state or territory bodies,
Documented in a behaviour support plan developed by a registered NDIS behaviour support practitioner,
Monitored and Reported to the NDIS Commission,
And regularly reviewed to ensure the practice is the least restrictive option available.
The goal of any support should be to reduce and eventually eliminate the need for restrictive practices, through proactive and positive behaviour support strategies.
The Five Regulated Restrictive Practices
Here’s a closer look at each type of regulated restrictive practice under the NDIS, along with two examples for each.
1. Environmental Restraint
Definition: Environmental restraint limits a person’s access to areas, items, or activities as a way to control behaviour.
Examples:
Locking cupboards or fridges to stop food access.
Taking away or locking away personal items like mobile phones or cigarettes.
2. Chemical Restraint
Definition: Chemical restraint refers to the use of medication to control a person's behaviour, not as treatment for a diagnosed condition but to influence or manage behaviour.
Examples:
Giving a person a sedative during the day to reduce agitation.
Administering antipsychotic medication to manage aggression when there is no relevant psychiatric diagnosis.
3. Mechanical Restraint
Definition: This involves using a device to prevent, restrict or subdue a person’s movement for the purpose of controlling behaviour.
Examples:
Securing someone to a chair with belts to stop them from standing.
Using a helmet or restrictive clothing to prevent head-banging or other self-harm.
4. Seclusion
Definition: Seclusion is the sole confinement of a person in a room or space from which they are unable to leave freely, or believe they cannot leave, even if just for a short time.
Examples:
Locking someone in a room during a behavioural episode to prevent harm.
Telling a person they must remain in a room alone until they calm down.
5. Physical Restraint
Definition: Physical restraint is the use of physical force by another person to prevent, restrict or subdue someone’s movement.
Examples:
Holding a person down to stop them from harming themselves or others.
Blocking a person’s exit with your body to prevent them from entering a certain area.
A Rights-Based Approach
Every person deserves to feel safe, respected, and in control of their own life. While restrictive practices may sometimes be necessary in complex situations, their use must never become routine or go unexamined. A rights-based approach means always asking: is this the least restrictive option? Is there another way to support the person more positively and respectfully?
Working together, behaviour support practitioners, carers, and providers can create safer, more empowering environments that help individuals thrive, not just manage risk.
Outcomes Lab provides neuroaffirming Positive Behaviour Support, Psychology, and Neuropsychology services across Melbourne. If you're looking for support that prioritises dignity and the reduction of restrictive practices, we'd welcome the conversation.
About the Author
Julian Vilsten
Founder, Outcomes Lab | Clinical Neuropsychologist | Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner. MClinNeuro, BBNSc (Hons)
With over a decade of clinical experience, Julian combines neuropsychology with practical behaviour support. He is dedicated to neuroaffirming practice and building support systems that champion autonomy and genuine well-being.
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