In this bulletin, we talk about seclusion.

Seclusion is when someone is made to stay alone in a room or a space.

This includes when they:

• can’t leave

or

• feel like they can’t leave.

For example, if a provider sends a person to a room where they:

• are alone
• can only leave when they behave a certain way.

It’s also seclusion when a provider locks themself in a room away from the person.

This means the person:

• is alone in the rest of the house
• can’t leave.

It’s not seclusion when a person:

• chooses to be alone in a room or space
• can leave the room at any time.

Seclusion is a type of restrictive practice.

Providers must follow rules in our policy to use seclusion.

Providers must only use seclusion if someone shows behaviours of concern.

Behaviours of concern are things someone does that might put:

• themselves in danger
• other people in danger.

Providers must make sure seclusion has been included in the person’s behaviour support plan.

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

A Quality Assurance Panel is a group of people who must:

• check a behaviour support plan
• decide if the restrictive practice can happen
• follow the rules in our policy about restrictive practices.

A Quality Assurance Panel will make sure providers:

bullet have tried better ways to support a person before using seclusion

bullet only use seclusion when it’s the least restrictive practice to keep people safe

bullet only use seclusion when it lowers the risk of harm to people

bullet only use seclusion when it doesn’t cause more harm than the behaviour

bullet only use seclusion for the shortest time possible.end of list

Providers must think about how seclusion affects a person before they use it.

Seclusion can cause more harm to a person that has experienced trauma.

Trauma is the way a person feels about something bad that happened to them.

For example, they might feel very scared or stressed.

Trauma can affect a person for a long time.

Providers should:

• listen to what the person needs
• understand how to support the person.

This will help providers:

bullet understand how seclusion affects the person

bullet try other ways to manage behaviour before they use seclusion

bullet stop or use less seclusion.end of list