Minimising Restrictive Practices: Seclusion

What is this article about?

Seclusion is a behavioural intervention used by mental health services, wherein a client is confined in a room alone and prevented from freely exiting. It can be enacted at any time of day or night. Along with restraint, seclusion is a type of restrictive practice. Restrictive practices are used as a last resort intervention in the event of a behavioural emergency. They may further exacerbate the client’s trauma or inflict physical or emotional harm, posing a profound risk to their safety and wellbeing. Furthermore, these interventions are not known to alter the client’s behaviour in the long-term