The Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability recently released a commissioned research report into the use of ‘restrictive practices’.

The Restrictive practices: A pathway to elimination research report, compiled by researchers from the University of Melbourne, the University of Sydney and the University of Technology Sydney says restrictive practices are a significant form of violence and coercion at odds with the human rights of people with disability. The report describes restrictive practices as legally, socially or professionally sanctioned, involving the use of physical, chemical or environmental restraints and seclusion. The report defines involuntary health treatment, guardianship, financial management , and any other non-consensual or coercive action against an individual’s will as a restrictive practice.

The report says #restrictivepractices are a significant form of violence and coercion, which are at odds with the human rights of people with disability. This rightfully includes people with dementia, who are regularly detained and chemically and physically restrained with multiple forms of restrictive practices in community, respite and institutional care.

The report proposes an 8-point plan to eliminate restrictive practices including:

• Making restrictive practices illegal
• Changing attitudes and norms towards disability
• Acknowledging and addressing historical and ongoing injustice associated with the use of restrictive practices
• De-institutionalising and de-segregating all environments
• Recognising the autonomy and leadership of people with disability
• Using trauma-informed support approaches
• Adequately resourcing independent living and full inclusion
• Providing redress to rectify injustice.

Congratulations to report authors Dr Claire Spivakovsky, Associate Professor Linda Steele and Associate Professor Dinesh Wadiwel and the Expert Reference Group on this very timely, and much awaited report.

Watch the full #Auslan video presenting the report here.

Many individuals and organisations welcomed the release of this report, including People With Disability Australia: ‘Days are numbered for Restrictive Practices’ and the report has followed other very important publications, including a Submission to Tasmanian OPCAT Implementation Discussion Paper, the Dementia Justice Project and Dementia Reparations Principles, and the Not Before Time: Lived Experience-Led Justice and Repair.

These reports are all critical for anyone working in, or building aged and dementia care congregate living settings, as all forms of restrictive practices should stop today.

Urgent…