POL-12 — Restrictive Practices Policy

CONVI has a strong commitment to positive, rights-respecting support. The use of restrictive practices is a serious matter with significant legal and ethical implications. CONVI does not use restrictive practices without explicit authorisation through the NDIS framework and applicable Victorian law.

Current status: CONVI currently does not operate with any participant who has an authorised restrictive practice in their plan. If this changes, the Director must confirm full compliance with this policy before services commence.

Document reference	POL-12
Version	v1.0
Status	Current — Authoritative
Legislative basis	NDIS Practice Standards — Behaviour Support Module; Victorian Senior Practitioner (DHHS)
Review cycle	Annual

1. The 5 Types of Restrictive Practice

Type	Definition
Chemical restraint	Use of medication for the primary purpose of controlling behaviour (not for therapeutic or clinical purposes)
Environmental restraint	Restricting access to parts of an environment or items within it (e.g., locked doors, restricted access to food)
Mechanical restraint	Use of a device to restrict movement (e.g., lap belts not used as postural supports, mittens to prevent scratching)
Physical restraint	Bodily force to restrict movement — including holds, escorts that restrict, and prone restraint
Seclusion	Sole confinement in a space from which a person cannot freely leave

Regulated restrictive practices under Victorian law require authorisation from the Senior Practitioner (Office of the Senior Practitioner, VIC DHHS) in addition to NDIS framework requirements. These are serious legal obligations.

2. CONVI's Position

CONVI does not use any form of restrictive practice without all of the following being in place:

A current Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) prepared by an NDIS-registered Behaviour Support Practitioner
NDIS Commission reporting and approval
Victorian Senior Practitioner authorisation for regulated restrictive practices
Worker-specific training

Workers must never use physical restraint, seclusion, or other restrictive practices as an independent response to behaviour — regardless of how distressing or unsafe the situation appears. The correct response is to de-escalate, create safety distance, and call for support.

3. What Workers Must Do Instead

CONVI supports participants using evidence-based positive behaviour support strategies. Workers are trained to:

Identify early warning signs and antecedents to behaviour of concern
Apply participant-specific de-escalation strategies from the Support Plan
Create space and reduce stimulation where escalation is occurring
Call for support — CONVI Director, participant family/nominee, or emergency services (000)
Withdraw from situations where their own safety is at risk — participant safety is managed through support networks, not worker self-sacrifice

4. If CONVI Is Asked to Use Restrictive Practices

If a participant, family member, or other provider requests that CONVI use a restrictive practice, the Director must:

Decline to implement the practice until full authorisation is in place
Advise the requesting party of the legal requirements
Contact an NDIS-registered Behaviour Support Practitioner to develop or review the BSP
Contact the Victorian Senior Practitioner's office if regulated practices are involved
Not proceed with services involving the restrictive practice until all authorisation is confirmed in writing

5. Reporting Obligations

Any use of a restrictive practice — authorised or otherwise — must be:

Reported to the NDIS Commission as a reportable incident if it was unauthorised
Reported to the Victorian Senior Practitioner if it involved a regulated restrictive practice
Documented in the CONVI incident register within 24 hours
Reviewed by the Director and relevant BSP practitioner within 5 business days

POL-12 | v1.0 | May 2026 | Convi Pty Ltd (ACN 677 127 703) as Trustee for Attard Family Australia Trust | ABN 60 342 025 267

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