In this bulletin, we talk about the rules you must follow about physical restraint.

When you use physical restraint, you hold someone’s body so they can’t move:

• at all
• as much.

Physical restraint is a type of restrictive practice.

It might not be physical restraint if you use it to help someone do something.

For example, if you gently move someone’s hand to help them brush their teeth.

We explain the rules about using physical restraint below.

Most types of physical restraint must be included in a person’s behaviour support plan.

A behaviour support plan in a document that explains what support a person needs.

Restrictive practices in a behaviour support plan must always be approved by a Quality Assurance Panel.

A Quality Assurance Panel must:

• check a behaviour support plan
• decide if the restrictive practice can happen.

You can work out if something is physical restraint by:

• how it feels for the person

• how much strength you need to use

• why you are planning to use the physical restraint.

You might not need to include physical restraint in a person’s behaviour support plan if you:

• only use it once

and

• use it to keep people safe.

For example, if you hold a person’s arm once to stop them from crossing the road when cars are coming.

This is a dangerous situation you don’t expect to happen.

But if you need to hold a person’s arm every time they cross the road, you might need to include this in a person’s behaviour support plan.

Providers must follow these rules when physical restraint is included in a person’s behaviour support plan.

Providers must only use physical restraint when people are at risk of harm.

Providers must try other ways to keep the person from harm before they use physical restraint.

Providers must make sure their workers get the right training to use physical restraint safely.

Providers should work with other health professionals to understand how physical restraint might affect the person.

Providers should think about a person’s past experience with physical restraint.

Providers should think about the person’s way of life and what they believe before they use physical restraint.

Providers should never use physical restraint that could harm a person.