The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are an addendum to the Mental Capacity Act. They build upon the principle of least restrictive intervention and are a set of safeguards that apply to people who are being, or may need to be deprived of their liberty, in an acute hospital or registered care home.

By the end of this course you will be able to:

• explain what is meant by restrictive practice


• identify factors which may contribute to deprivation of liberty


• explain the role of the supervisory body in Deprivation of Liberty assessments


• act in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards if they think a person is being, or may need to be deprived of their liberty

This briefing explores the factors that can contribute to a deprivation liberty, explains what to do if someone is being deprived of their liberty, and looks at the assessment process and the checks involved in gaining authorisation for deprivation of liberty.