Are We Using Restrictive Practices Without Knowing?

Are We Using Restrictive Practices Without Realising It?

Restrictive practices aren’t always obvious. They don’t always look like locked doors or physical interventions.

Sometimes, they look like:

Limiting choices (“You can have a break after you finish this.”)

Withholding items (“You only get your phone if you behave.”)

Controlling movement (“You have to stay in this room until you calm down.”)

Using ‘soft’ coercion (“If you don’t do X, you won’t get Y.”)

Here’s the tricky part: These things are often well-intended. They’re framed as “boundaries” or “behaviour strategies.” But if they limit autonomy, choice, or rights, they may be restrictive.

Identifying Restrictive Practices With Support Teams

Support teams don’t always see restrictions because they’ve become part of the routine. That’s why these 3 questions can help:

Would we accept this rule or expectation for ourselves?
If not, why is it okay for the person we support?

Does this practice create dependence or build skills?
Are we helping someone learn self-regulation, or just controlling their behaviour?

Is this about support or about making life easier for staff?
If it’s mostly about compliance, efficiency, or convenience, it’s worth rethinking.
What’s the Alternative?

Instead of restrictions, let’s focus on:

Co-regulation over control (Helping someone calm with us, not just removing them)

True choices, not conditional ones (Supporting autonomy without compliance-based rewards)

Predictability and trust (Creating environments where people don’t feel the need to ‘earn’ basic rights)