Today, the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) has published 11 inspection reports on thematic inspections of restrictive practices in designated centres for people with disabilities. HIQA inspects against the Health Act 2007 (Care and Support of Residents in Designated Centres for Persons (Children and Adults) with Disabilities) Regulations 2013 and the National Standards for Residential Services for Children and Adults with Disabilities, which apply to residential services for people with disabilities in Ireland. 
HIQA’s programme of thematic inspections of restrictive practices in designated centres for people with disabilities focuses on assessing physical and environmental restraints as well as other forms of restrictive practices, and aims to promote quality improvement across services. 
All 11 centres were found to be either compliant or substantially compliant with the regulations and standards, and good practice was identified in many centres ensuring residents’ rights were promoted, their privacy and dignity were respected and their care was person centred. The centres are operated by: Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG; ChildVision CLG; Health Service Executive (HSE); Inspire Wellbeing CLG; St John of God Community Services CLG; St Michael's House; and Waterford Intellectual Disability Association CLG.
Examples of good practice included:

• In a centre in Tipperary operated by Brothers of Charity Services Ireland CLG, the appropriateness of restrictive practices were considered prior to their adoption, as well as being subject to regular review by both the person in charge and the multidisciplinary team, to ensure their ongoing effectiveness and suitability to residents’ needs. 
• At a centre operated by ChildVision CLG in Dublin, staff attended weekly team meetings which provided a forum to discuss residents’ changing needs as well as shared learning from recent thematic restrictive practice inspections.
• In a centre operated by the HSE in Dublin, there were a small number of restrictive practices in place to support residents’ safety and wellbeing and these were regularly reviewed. Where a restriction may have impacted on a resident’s privacy and dignity, efforts were made to ensure that the least restrictive practice was in place. For example, there had been a door alarm in place, but this was removed following a review of the effectiveness of existing controls measures.
• At a centre operated by Waterford Intellectual Disability Association CLG in Waterford, arrangements had been made to ensure that residents were provided with sufficient staff support to enable them to exercise their rights to avail of community-based activities resulting in a minimum of two staff available at all times.