NDIS restrictive practices reporting requires registered providers to report the use of regulated restrictive practices to the NDIS Commission. Unauthorised restrictive practices are reportable as Priority 1 incidents, and authorised ones are reported through monthly reporting. Providers must record every use, report within the required timeframes, and work toward reducing and eliminating restrictive practices through behaviour support.
Restrictive practices are one of the most tightly regulated areas in the NDIS, and for good reason: they limit a person's rights or freedom of movement. Getting the reporting wrong isn't a paperwork slip; it's a serious compliance and safeguarding failure.
This guide explains NDIS restrictive practices reporting from the provider's seat: what counts as a restrictive practice, when and how to report, the timeframes that catch providers out, and who's responsible. If your organisation uses or may use restrictive practices, this is the framework you need.
What counts as a restrictive practice under the NDIS?
A restrictive practice is any practice or intervention that has the effect of restricting the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability.
Short answer: Under the NDIS, a restrictive practice is any action that restricts the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability. There are five regulated types: seclusion, chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, physical restraint, and environmental restraint.
The five regulated restrictive practices:
Seclusion: confining a person alone in a room or space they can't freely leave.
Chemical restraint: medication used to influence behaviour, not to treat a diagnosed condition.
Mechanical restraint: a device used to restrict movement to influence behaviour.
Physical restraint: using physical force to restrict movement.
Environmental restraint: restricting a person's free access to their environment.
Each is regulated because it affects a person's rights, and each carries specific reporting obligations.
The rules for restrictive practices under the NDIS
Restrictive practices are governed by the NDIS (Restrictive Practices and Behaviour Support) Rules 2018. The core principles:
Restrictive practices should be a last resort, used only to prevent harm.
They must be the least restrictive option, used for the shortest time.
They must be authorised under the relevant state or territory process.
They must be included in a behaviour support plan developed by a specialist.
Their use must be reported to the NDIS Commission.
Providers must work toward reducing and eliminating them.
Key point: A restrictive practice used without proper authorisation and without being in a behaviour support plan is an unauthorised restrictive practice, and that's reportable as a Priority 1 incident, even if no one was harmed.
For how this connects to your incident obligations, see our SIRS compliance guide and incident reporting guide.
NDIS restrictive practices reporting: the two pathways
This is where providers get confused. Reporting depends on whether the practice was authorised.
Authorised restrictive practice | Unauthorised restrictive practice | |
|---|---|---|
In a behaviour support plan | Yes | No |
State/territory authorised | Yes | No |
Reported via | Monthly reporting | Reportable incident (Priority 1) |
Timeframe | Monthly | Within 24 hours (then 5-day report) |
Short answer: Authorised restrictive practices are reported to the NDIS Commission through monthly reporting. Unauthorised restrictive practices are reported as Priority 1 reportable incidents, within 24 hours of the provider becoming aware, followed by a written report within 5 business days.
The reporting timeframes that catch providers out
Timing is where restrictive practices reporting most often fails.
Unauthorised use: notify the NDIS Commission within 24 hours as a Priority 1 reportable incident, then submit a written report within 5 business days.
Authorised use: report through monthly reporting to the Commission, covering each regulated restrictive practice used that month.
Key point: The 24-hour clock for an unauthorised restrictive practice starts when any staff member becomes aware, not when management is told. A gap between the frontline knowing and the report being lodged is a common finding.
This mirrors the wider reportable-incident timeframes covered in our SIRS compliance guide.
Who is responsible for reporting restrictive practices?
The registered provider is responsible.
Short answer: The registered NDIS provider using the restrictive practice is responsible for reporting it to the NDIS Commission. This responsibility can't be delegated away, though the behaviour support provider develops the plan and the state authorises the practice.
Three roles interact:
The registered provider using the practice: reports it.
The specialist behaviour support provider: develops the behaviour support plan.
The state or territory: authorises the practice.
But the reporting obligation sits with the provider delivering the support. Your staff need to know what counts, and your system needs to capture it. Our worker screening and staff credential tracking guides cover the training side.
What you must document
For every use of a regulated restrictive practice, record:
What practice was used and why
The date, time, and duration
Who used it and who authorised it (or that it was unauthorised)
The behaviour support plan reference (if authorised)
The participant's response
Actions to reduce and eliminate future use
Short answer: Providers must document what restrictive practice was used, when, by whom, whether it was authorised, the participant's response, and steps toward reduction. This record supports both reporting and audit.
This documentation feeds your reporting and your record keeping requirements, and it's sampled at audit alongside your incident register.
Key takeaways
A restrictive practice restricts a person's rights or freedom of movement; there are five regulated types.
Authorised practices are reported via monthly reporting; unauthorised ones as Priority 1 incidents within 24 hours.
The 24-hour clock starts when any staff member becomes aware.
The registered provider using the practice is responsible for reporting.
Every use must be documented, and providers must work toward reduction and elimination.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as a restrictive practice under the NDIS?
A restrictive practice is any action that restricts the rights or freedom of movement of a person with disability. The five regulated types are seclusion, chemical restraint, mechanical restraint, physical restraint, and environmental restraint.
How do you report a restrictive practice to the NDIS?
Authorised restrictive practices are reported through monthly reporting to the NDIS Commission. Unauthorised restrictive practices are reported as Priority 1 reportable incidents within 24 hours, followed by a written report within 5 business days.
How often are restrictive practices reported to the NDIS Commission?
Authorised restrictive practices are reported monthly. Unauthorised use is reported immediately as a Priority 1 incident within 24 hours. Providers also work toward reducing and eliminating restrictive practices over time.
What is an unauthorised restrictive practice?
An unauthorised restrictive practice is one used without proper state or territory authorisation and not included in the participant's behaviour support plan. It's reportable to the NDIS Commission as a Priority 1 incident, even if no harm occurred.
Who is responsible for reporting restrictive practices?
The registered NDIS provider using the restrictive practice is responsible for reporting it. The behaviour support provider develops the plan and the state authorises the practice, but the reporting obligation stays with the provider delivering the support.
How often should restrictive practices be reviewed?
Restrictive practices should be reviewed regularly as part of the participant's behaviour support plan, with the goal of reducing and eliminating them over time. The exact review cycle is set in the behaviour support plan.
NDIS restrictive practices reporting comes down to knowing the difference: authorised use goes through monthly reporting, unauthorised use is an immediate Priority 1 incident. Get that distinction and the timeframes right, document every use, and work toward reduction, and you meet both your compliance and your safeguarding duty.
The providers who handle restrictive practices well treat reporting as part of a genuine commitment to participant rights, not a box to tick.
See restrictive practices reporting done right. Start a free CareVisor trial and see how providers capture restrictive practice use, link it to behaviour support plans and incidents, and report on time, all in one audit-ready place.
About CareVisor
CareVisor is the audit-ready operating system for Australian NDIS providers, built in Sydney by NDIS operators who have prepared for and passed Quality and Safeguards Commission audits firsthand. Restrictive practice records, incident reporting, participant management, behaviour support documentation, worker screening, and SCHADS payroll live in one platform, mapped to the NDIS Practice Standards, with a time-stamped audit trail captured by default. Learn more about us or start your free trial at carevisor.com.au.
