Most support workers have never been properly trained on what counts as a restrictive practice under NDIS rules. The term sounds extreme — like strapping someone to a bed. But the legal definition is much broader than that, and it covers actions that happen in ordinary shifts every day.

Under the NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018, there are five types of regulated restrictive practice. Each one requires specific documentation, authorisation, and reporting. Using one without knowing it’s a restrictive practice doesn’t exempt you from the requirements — it just means the documentation doesn’t get done.

The five types

1. Physical restraint
Using physical force to prevent, restrict, or subdue movement for the primary purpose of influencing behaviour.
What workers say: “I had to hold her hands to stop the head hitting.” “I grabbed his arm before he ran into traffic.” These are physical restraint. Even gentle holding counts if the purpose is to influence behaviour or prevent movement.
2. Environmental restraint
Restrictions on free access to all parts of the environment, including items or activities.
What workers say: “I stood in front of the door so she couldn’t get out.” “We lock the fridge because he eats everything.” “I took the iPad away because she was getting aggressive.” All environmental restraint. Any time you restrict access to a space, item, or activity to influence behaviour, it’s regulated.
3. Chemical restraint
Use of medication or chemical substance for the primary purpose of influencing behaviour.
What workers say: “We gave her the PRN to calm her down.” If the primary purpose of the medication is to manage behaviour rather than treat a diagnosed condition, it’s chemical restraint. Medication prescribed for a diagnosed mental health condition is not chemical restraint.
4. Mechanical restraint
Use of a device to prevent, restrict, or subdue movement for the primary purpose of influencing behaviour.
What workers say: “He wears a harness in the car because he tries to unbuckle.” If the device is used for behavioural purposes rather than therapeutic ones, it’s mechanical restraint. A wheelchair seatbelt for postural support is not mechanical restraint. The same seatbelt used to stop someone getting up and running away is.
5. Seclusion
Sole confinement of a person in a room or physical space where voluntary exit is prevented.
What workers say: “We put him in the quiet room until he calmed down.” If the person cannot freely leave the space, it’s seclusion. A calm-down space the person can leave at any time is not seclusion.

Why this matters

Every time a regulated restrictive practice is used, the law requires a full record under Section 15(2) of the Restrictive Practices Rules. That record must include: the type of practice, who used it, who authorised it, start and end time, the behaviour that led to it, what less restrictive alternatives were tried first, whether it was in accordance with the person’s behaviour support plan, and the impact on the participant.

If the practice is authorised under the participant’s BSP, it must be reported monthly to the NDIS Commissioner. If it’s not authorised, it’s a reportable incident under category RI6 — Unauthorised Restrictive Practice — and requires immediate supervisor notification.

The gap: workers use these practices because they’re keeping someone safe. They don’t think of it as “restrictive practice” because they’re thinking about the person, not the paperwork. But without the documentation, there’s no legal record — and that’s a compliance risk for both the worker and the provider.

What good documentation looks like

When a restrictive practice is used and properly documented, the record protects everyone. It shows the worker tried less restrictive options first. It shows the practice was authorised under the BSP. It shows the participant was checked afterwards. It shows the right people were notified. That’s not paperwork for paperwork’s sake — it’s evidence that the worker did the right thing in a difficult moment.

The problem is that most workers don’t know what a Section 15(2) record looks like, don’t know which fields are legally required, and don’t have time to look it up mid-shift. That’s the gap that structured documentation tools are designed to fill.

Clio catches restrictive practices automatically

Describe your shift in plain English. If you used a restrictive practice — even if you didn’t realise it — Clio identifies it, generates the full Section 15(2) legal record, checks it against the participant’s BSP, and documents everything required for reporting.

Try Clio for free →