PBS and Human Rights: Reducing Restrictive Practice Starts with Values
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Reducing restrictive practice is more than a PBS objective — it’s a human rights issue. If we start from the principle that people have the right to live free from unnecessary control, then everything else in your service should reflect that.
🚫 What Counts as Restrictive Practice?
It’s not just physical restraint. Restrictive practice includes:
- Locked doors or controlled access to parts of the home
- Medication used to control rather than support
- Rigid routines that limit choice or spontaneity
- Over-reliance on supervision or constant staff presence
Commissioners want to see that your team recognises these — and works actively to reduce them.
🧭 Values First, Then Practice
The goal isn’t simply ‘use less restraint’. The goal is to embed a culture of respect, autonomy, and positive support. That includes:
- Reviewing support plans regularly to reduce restrictions
- Involving people (and families) in decisions about what’s necessary
- Always aiming to return control to the person
PBS should never be used to justify restrictions — it should help prevent the need for them in the first place.
📝 Tender Responses Should Reflect This Ethos
When responding to learning disability tenders, show that:
- Your team understands and tracks restrictive practices
- You monitor their use and actively seek to reduce them
- You centre the person’s rights in every decision made
This isn't just best practice — it's a commissioning expectation.