Balancing Reducing Restrictive Practices with Keeping Everyone Safe

Please note: this content was originally created in response to a webinar involving practitioners from Australia and New Zealand. However, it is relevant for organisations globally.

The use of restrictive practices can be a contentious issue, no matter what type of organisation we work in. As caring, compassionate professionals, we strive to create positive and supportive environments where everyone always feels safe, secure and valued. This applies as much to our staff as it does to the individuals we support and care for.

However, given the different contexts we work in, and the nature of the children, young people and adults we may support, there can sometimes be a tension between reducing restrictive practices and keeping everyone safe.

Challenges for staff around balancing wellbeing with use of restrictive practices

We work in complex environments, and, for many of us, the individuals we support have an increasingly wide range of diverse needs. Some may struggle with emotional regulation; others may have communication needs that make it tricky to express themselves.

Staff, too, have numerous and multi-faceted needs, and can sometimes find it hard to juggle competing priorities, such as managing heavy workloads and working within rigid time constraints.

Due to a combination of all of these factors, we can sometimes find ourselves supporting escalating behaviour, where tried-and-tested de-escalation strategies are not working. In such instances, despite everyone’s best efforts and good intentions, there may be a need to use restraint or other restrictive practices.

Questions we need to ask ourselves around restraint and restrictive practices.

If this situation occurs on a regular basis over an extended period, it can take its toll on both staff and the individuals we support. It can adversely impact our collective physical, emotional and mental wellbeing, and lead to the creation of environments that feel neither positive nor safe for everyone.

In our webinar, Getting the balance right between reducing restrictive practices and keeping everyone safe we were joined by an incredible panel of guests from education and disability to discuss how we can promote wellbeing and reduce the use of restrictive practices without compromising safety.

Special thanks to our webinar guests: Bridget Scott, Manager, Allied Health and Training Development, Microboards Australia; Tristan Evans, Director, Karma Abilities Respite Enrichment, SE Queensland; Susan Coull, Director, SCoull Education, Melbourne; and Chrizinda Cole, Intermediate Teacher and Team Teach Trainer, Wairau Valley Special School, New Zealand for their valuable contributions and insights during this discussion.

3 ways to promote wellbeing and reduce the need for restrictive practices

It’s worth noting that every context is different, and what works well in one may not work in another. The important thing is to build a toolkit of strategies that meet the needs of our organisation.

1: Developing strong relationships

Strong relationships sit at the heart of everything we do. We can develop robust, positive connections where we foster mutual trust, understanding, respect and compassion. Getting to know the people that we work with, and support helps to build a shared understanding and appreciation of each other.

2: Taking a person-centred approach

We can work to understand individuals’ behaviour as a form of communication, and always keep their best interests front and centre. Taking a person-centred, individualised approach enables us to make appropriate decisions in any situation.

We can remember that everyone responds differently to stress – including us as staff. This acknowledgement allows us to approach situations with increased compassion and understanding.