Evaluating progress in reducing restrictive practices: A follow-up audit across supported living services (2020–2024)

This paper presents a follow-up review of restrictive practice audits conducted within a supported living organisation in South Wales in 2020, 2022, and 2024. The audits examined a broad range of restrictive practices across everyday domains of life, including freedom of movement, personal care, privacy, health, and social participation. Building on the initial audit, this review evaluates the organisation’s progress in documentation, legal compliance, and organisational culture. While the overall number of restrictions did not significantly decrease, substantial improvements were made in consent and best interest recording, data sharing, and staff involvement through Restrictive Practice Champions. Ongoing challenges in specific domains highlight the complexity of achieving least restrictive practice. The paper reflects on organisational learning and future directions for strengthening rights-based care. Easy to read summary ■ Restrictions are actions or rules that stop a person from doing things that most other people are free to do. ■ The service reviewed how often restrictions were used in 2020, 2022 and 2024, and whether they were lawful, needed, and properly written down. ■ While the overall number of restrictions has stayed similar, the organisation has greatly improved how it records consent, best-interest decisions, and how information is shared. ■ Some restrictions are still hard to reduce, particularly those linked to safety and freedom of movement, showing that more work is needed in these areas. ■ The purpose of these audits is to make sure restrictions are only used when truly needed, and to support people with learning disabilities to have more independence and control over their lives.