Commentary on “Implementation of policy regarding restrictive practices in England”

In the Netherlands, as in England, concerns exist about the extent of and frequency with which freedom-restricting measures are applied. The view is that use of these measures needs to decrease. The purpose of this paper is to outline new legislation that is expected to come into force in the Netherlands in 2020.

This paper provides a description of legislation entering into force on 1 January 2020.

Many of the new legislation’s practical implications remain unclear, including the definition of involuntary care.

The new legislation will start being monitored directly after coming into force, and only then the authors will make out what works well and what does not.

Introducing new legislation on coercion is not sufficient. Careful implementation of the legislation is important, including the way it defines involuntary care.

In 2020, the Netherlands is introducing new legislation on involuntary care for people with an intellectual disability. This includes a definition of involuntary care.