In this bulletin, we talk about environmental restraint.

Environmental restraint includes actions that stop people from:

• using certain things, such as a phone or TV

• going into certain areas, such as the kitchen or backyard

• taking part in activities, such as cooking or going to the shops.

It is not environmental restraint if:

• you lock a person’s door to stop other people coming into their house

and

• the person is still able to leave their house.

Environmental restraint is not the same as child proofing.

Child proofing is when parents change things in their home to keep their children safe.

For example, parents might:

• put a lock on a cupboard that has knives in it

• use a gate to stop their child from going up the stairs.

These actions are child proofing when people use them to keep children safe.

But these actions can be environmental restraint when people use them to:

• control a person with disability

• stop a person with disability from doing what they want.

This includes children with disability.

If you are unsure if something is environmental restraint, think about:

• why you are using the action

• who the action is for

• how the action will affect the person.

You should also think about if you would use this action for someone who does not have a disability.

If you say no, then it might be environmental restraint.