Description:
Since the introduction of the Disability Act 2006, there has been concerted focus on identifying, addressing and reducing restrictive interventions and compulsory treatment in disability accommodation services (DAS). This paper reflects on a participatory action research (PAR) project, funded by the Office of the Senior Practitioner and conducted in partnership with the Department of Human Services, in a rural region of Victoria, Australia. The overall goal was to improve the quality of life and dignity of people living in shared supported accommodation. A key focus was to explore less obvious forms of restrictive practice, for example household rules, dietary regimes and administrative requirements. The project adopted a partnership approach to engage with support workers in developing strategies for challenging restrictive practices at interpersonal and systemic levels. Throughout the PAR meetings participant reflections revealed how a concern with duty of care, as expressed through domestic and personal support requirements, meant staff were engaged in struggles with, and between household members over everyday life choices. In some houses, ‘putting on pyjamas’ marked a significant site of power, where care, control and resistance were enacted daily. This paper explores the research process and the guiding themes of the project: power, perception and subtle forms of restrictive practice.