Recommendation 6.39 – Improving collection and reporting of restrictive practices data

What has been achieved to date

Disability Reform Ministerial Council agreed in February 2025 to the development of a Joint Action Plan to reduce and eliminate the use of restrictive practices on people with disability. The Senior Practitioners Leadership Group will contribute to this work through the quarterly national meetings.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been established between the Commonwealth Department of Social Services, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) and NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission to progress work to improve the collection and reporting of restrictive practices data in NDIS settings. 

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare are in the process of reviewing publicly available data across jurisdictions to identify consistencies and gaps. This information will be used to guide improvements to the collection of restrictive practices data.

The Australian Government will continue to work with states and territories to progress this recommendation.

What the Disability Royal Commission said in the final report

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare should work with state and territory governments to develop consistent data definitions and collection methods on restrictive practices across all jurisdictions, and align reporting periods. These definitions and collection methods should be finalised by the end of 2024.

Using consistent definitions and collection methods, state and territory governments should collect and publish data on the use of restrictive practices in health, education and justice settings. This data should be collected and published on an annual basis, with publication commencing by the end of 2025 at the latest. Data should identify, to the greatest extent practicable:

• restraint type, including chemical, physical, mechanical, environmental and seclusion
• disability status
• types of impairment
• age
• gender
• First Nations people
• culturally and linguistically diverse people
• people who identify as LGBTIQA+.

Joint Government Response 2024

The Australian Government and state and territory governments are committed to working together to improve the collection and reporting of restrictive practices data and to considering sector-specific targets and performance indicators to drive the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices across all settings.

As a first step, and consistent with Action 18.1 of the NDIS Review, the Disability Reform Ministerial Council will prioritise action to establish consistent targets and performance indicators to drive the reduction and elimination of restrictive practices in the NDIS and will task officials to develop a Joint Action Plan to reduce and eliminate restrictive practices in the NDIS.

Given the complexity and variation of data collection processes across jurisdictions, consultation with all sectors and flexibility on the timeframe for implementing these recommendations may be required.

More recommendations

View progress on other recommendations made by the Royal Commission.