Who must comply with restrictive practices rules + behaviour support plans?
The applicability test for Comply with restrictive practices rules + behaviour support plans (ACQSC), computed across 35 industries, 9 business structures and 6 size bands.
Short answer: Only if
Applies only if you operate residential aged care. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.
What the obligation is
Use of restrictive practices in aged care must be a last resort and meet strict conditions.
Quality of Care Principles 2014 + Aged Care Act 2024 govern use of restrictive practices (physical, chemical, mechanical, environmental, seclusion). Use must be a last resort, subject to authorisation, behaviour support plan, informed consent + minimum-time documented review.
The applicability test
Applies only if you operate residential aged care. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.
How the regulator frames it: Residential aged care providers.
What triggers it: Considering or using a restrictive practice on a consumer.
Jurisdiction: Commonwealth law, so the test is the same in every state and territory.
Which industries are in or out
Outcome across the 35 industries Rules Mate maps (1 of 35: only if a further fact applies; 34 of 35: no).
| Industry | Answer |
|---|---|
| Aged care providers | Only if a further fact applies |
| No | 34 other industries |
Business structure and size
Structure does not change the answer in aged care providers: for every structure the answer is "only if a further fact applies".
Size does not change the answer in aged care providers: at every size band the answer is "only if a further fact applies".
Worked examples
Each line is one run of the Rules Mate applicability engine for a single business profile, with the reason the engine gives:
- Pty Ltd company in real estate agents with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: does not apply. Requires a trigger outside this questionnaire.
- Pty Ltd company in aged care providers with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: check whether it applies. applies only if you operate residential aged care.
Answers that bring it into scope
Starting from a small or large professional services company that does not otherwise meet the test, each of these single facts changes the engine's answer:
- The business is an approved aged care provider: it becomes worth checking, because it applies only if you operate residential aged care.
When you need to check further
The engine shows this obligation as "check whether this applies" when a business has approved aged care provider status. It then applies only if you operate residential aged care. That fact is not something Rules Mate can infer from industry, structure or size.
What you must do, and when
- When due
- Continuous; behaviour support plans reviewed minimum 12-monthly.
- Frequency
- Ongoing
- Evidence to keep
- Authorisation, BSP, informed consent records, regular review records, complaints log.
- Status
- Current
- Priority
- Critical
Penalty for not complying
Maximum penalty: Civil penalties; sanctions; ACQSC banning orders.
Audit or assurance level
Rules Mate has not yet classified the audit or assurance level for this obligation. Any audit, review or certification requirement is set by the regulator source listed below.
Enforcement examples
Obligations with the same applicability test
If this obligation applies to you, so do these 2: the engine uses the same rule for each.
Where it sits in the corpus
Rules Mate tracks 8 published obligations tagged "aged care", 7 of them rated critical. For a professional services Pty Ltd company with 6–19 employees operating in every state, 0 of those apply outright. This obligation is rated critical priority, and is an ongoing duty.
Regulator, legislation and tools
Regulated by Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
ACQSC: Aged care provider regulation under the new Aged Care Act (in force from 1 November 2025). Standards, complaints, and serious incident response.
Aged Care Act 2024: New federal aged care Act in force 1 November 2025 (replaces 1997 Act).
Free tools that help with this obligation:
Questions
- Who must comply with restrictive practices rules + behaviour support plans?
- Applies only if you operate residential aged care. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.
- Do sole traders need to comply with restrictive practices rules + behaviour support plans?
- Only if a further fact applies. Looking in aged care providers and every size band, the engine's answer for a sole trader is: only if a further fact applies.
- Do businesses with 1–5 employees need to comply with restrictive practices rules + behaviour support plans?
- Only if a further fact applies (1–5 employees, turnover $100K–$1M).
- When is "Comply with restrictive practices rules + behaviour support plans" due?
- Continuous; behaviour support plans reviewed minimum 12-monthly.
Related
Sources
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine from the published obligation corpus; facts last checked 3 October 2026. Rules Mate is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your position with the regulator source or a qualified adviser before acting.