The Department of Communities (Communities) recognises the need to strengthen safeguards for people with disability, their families and carers, and service providers and their employees. This includes providing clear framework for how authorisation is given for the use of restrictive practices that considers the rights and safety of people with disability and their supports.
Restrictive practice means any practice or intervention that has the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability.
Communities is currently working to develop legislation on the authorisation of restrictive practices in Western Australian disability services.
Consultation
Community consultation on the preferred model for authorising the use of restrictive practices in the disability sector in Western Australia took place from 12 July 2021 to 22 August 2021.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the six-week public consultation, which comprised of a wide range of workshops and focus groups, as well as surveys, snap polls, feedback forms and written submissions.
Communities will continue to provide information throughout the stages of the project.
Deliberative Panel
In order to shape the legislation, an Authorisation of Restrictive Practices (ARP) Deliberative Panel is needed to review the information received through the public consultation process.
The ARP Deliberative Panel is a group of people who will meet to discuss who, how and under what circumstances the use of restrictive practices within disability services in Western Australia can be approved. The Panel will be required to provide recommendations to Communities on behalf of the whole Western Australian community, including reasons for their recommendations.
The Panel will be made up of a cross-section of the community, including selected government, community and sector representatives, to ensure that several viewpoints are shared and considered.
An expression of interest period was held during the six-week open consultation and has now closed.
Thank you to those who expressed interest in being a part of the panel. The selection process to have a balanced representative group of participants has now been completed and we look forward to their contribution.
