Duty of Care and Least Restrictive Approach Quiz

Duty of Care and the Least Restrictive Approach

• Support workers have a duty of care to protect the safety, wellbeing, and rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• The use of restrictive practices, such as physical or medical restraints, is only justified if it is necessary to meet the duty of care.
• Restrictive practices include physical restraint, medical restraint, seclusion, and other "less restrictive" practices that limit a person's freedom or decision-making abilities.
• The right to make unwise decisions is a fundamental human right for individuals with disabilities, but it is not absolute and may need to be limited in certain situations.
• The least restrictive approach prioritizes positive, proactive, and person-centered approaches to address challenging behaviors.
• The five characteristics of a least restrictive approach include person-centered planning, providing choices, environmental changes, providing reinforcement, and building new skills.
• Positive reinforcement can be a powerful tool in reducing challenging behaviors.
• Restrictive practices should only be used when there are no less restrictive alternatives available.
• The use of restrictive practices must be based on individualized assessments and regularly monitored and evaluated.
• The focus must be on maximizing the individual's freedom and autonomy while minimizing the use of restrictive practices and removing them at the earliest possible opportunity.
• Support workers and organizations who fail to meet their duty of care obligations may face legal and regulatory sanctions, as well as reputational damage.
• The principle of the least restrictive approach is embedded in many ethical codes and guidelines for the support of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.