Easy Read: restrictive practices.

A restrictive practice is something that limits what you can do or where you can go.

People usually use it to keep someone safe.

It does not mean anyone has done something wrong. Lots of families have one.

Locking a door so you cannot go out on your own.

Locking the fridge or a cupboard.

Taking away your phone or tablet.

Giving medicine to help with behaviour, when it is not treating an illness.

Holding you so you cannot move.

Using something like a strap to stop you moving.

Keeping you alone in a room you cannot leave.

People with disability have rights, like freedom and safety.

There are rules to keep people safe.

The rules say restrictive practices should be used as little as possible.

A restrictive practice must be written in your behaviour support plan. This is the law.

We write a short plan within 1 month. The month starts when your service agreement starts, or when we find the restrictive practice.

We talk about the plan with you and your family. You see it first.

We send the plan to the NDIS Commission.

We ask you, or the person who makes decisions for you, about the plan. This is called consent.

The right people in your state also have to say yes to the restrictive practice. This is called authorisation.

Some adults have a guardian. A guardian is a person who is allowed to make some decisions for you.

If you are under 18, your parent or guardian usually says yes for you. We still listen to you.

Some medicine can be a restrictive practice.

With your OK, we ask your doctor what each medicine is for.

The doctor fills in a form from the NDIS Commission. It helps us know which medicine needs to be in your plan.

The service that supports you must tell the NDIS Commission every month when they used a restrictive practice.

This helps everyone check it is used safely, and only when it is needed.

If a restrictive practice is used and it is not in the plan, it must be reported.

Our goal is for you to need it less over time.

We help you learn new skills.

We try to change things around you so you feel calm and safe.

We check how it is going at every review. This can take time. It does not have to stop all at once.

If the people who support you are not using the plan, we try to work it out with them. If we cannot, we must tell the NDIS Commission. We tell you before we do.

You can tell us what you think.

You can ask for the plan to change.

You can say no. You can change your mind.

You can have an advocate. You can find one on Ask Izzy.

You can talk to your practitioner.

If you are still worried, you can ask to talk to your practitioner's Team Leader.

You can email us at contact@richersupport.com.

You can call the NDIS Commission on 1800 035 544.

The NDIS Commission has an Easy Read guide about restrictive practices. It opens as a PDF file.