Placeholder image for What should a Safeguarding Policy include?
Health & Safety, HR and Compliance FAQs
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Training
This online DoLS Training explains what needs to be done before a deprivation of liberty can be authorised. It has been designed to be used by anyone who cares for someone who may lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves.
4.3/5 based on 195 course reviews
Learning outcomes
- Understand the importance of keeping records in relation to DoLS
- Understand what deprivation of liberty means and who it affects
- Understand both types of authorisation procedures
Covered in this course
Course contents
This training course is broken down into 4 sections
- 1 What is Deprivation of Liberty?
- 2 Authorising a Deprivation of Liberty
- 3 The Safeguards
- 4 The Importance of Record Keeping
SECTION 1
In this section, we look at what deprivation of liberty means and who could be affected by it. We look at restrictions and restraint and the importance of recognising that if you're applying a number of restrictions and restraints together or for long periods this could add up to depriving them of their liberty.
SECTION 2
This section covers the standard authorisation procedure AND the urgent authorisation procedure. It looks at the six assessments that must be done and who is responsible for doing what. It also covers the formal process of review and how to suspend a standard authorisation.
SECTION 3
The deprivation of liberty safeguards exist to protect a person's human right to be free. The safeguards ensure that the person has some form of backup. In this section, we look at these safeguards and we look at when they can't be used and we look at what you should do if you think someone is being deprived of their liberty, but it's not been authorised.
SECTION 4
The Mental Capacity Act has procedures for authorising a deprivation of liberty in hospitals and care homes and there are a number of forms that can help make sure correct procedures are followed. In this section, we look at the forms, the procedure, and the importance of record keeping.
About this course
Depriving someone of their liberty is a major step to take, and this training guides you through the correct process.
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards were introduced to help protect a person's rights, as well as protecting them from harm and ensuring any necessary action is taken in a safe, correct, and sensitive way.
2015 - 2016 saw the most DoLS applications ever received by councils up and down the UK since the DoLS were introduced in 2009. 195,840 applications were reported by councils, which means that for every 100,000 adults in the UK, 454 DoLS applications were reported.
This training explains what these safeguards are and the six assessments which must be done before a deprivation of liberty can be authorised. It looks at the differences between restraint, restriction, and deprivation and explains why it's so important to have policies in place, follow procedures and keep records. It tells you which forms are required at each point and includes a step-by-step guide to the urgent authorisation procedure.
Caring for someone who you think may lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves? You may also find our assessing mental capacity training and our safeguarding vulnerable adults training helpful. Why not browse our full range of online safeguarding courses?
Presented by
Keith WickhamThe importance of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Training
It’s important that you comply with the law and understand the positive impact this training course can have on your organisation and employees.
Find out moreAvailable in 41 languages
All inclusive
Machine translated* content is included for free with all our popular courses.
It covers LMS navigation, course transcripts and test questions. If you don't see a course listed in the language you require, just let us know.
*Content which is not English may be machine translated and is for assistive purposes only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of translations.
Our most popular languages
- Italian
- German
- Romanian
- French
- Polish
- Lithuanian
DoLS Training certificate
Download and print
Each of our courses ends with a multiple choice test to measure your knowledge of the material.
This Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Training (DoLS) course concludes with a 20 question multiple choice test with a printable certificate. In addition, brief in-course questions guide the user through the sections of the training and are designed to reinforce learning and ensure maximum user engagement throughout.
As well as printable user certificates, training progress and results are all stored centrally in your LMS (Learning Management System) and can be accessed any time to reprint certificates, check and set pass marks and act as proof of a commitment to ongoing legal compliance.
What does my certificate include?
Your Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Training Certificate includes your name, company name (if applicable), name of course taken, pass percentage, date of completion, expiry date and stamps of approval or accreditations by recognised authorities.
Please note if you are using our course content via SCORM in a third party LMS then we are unable to provide certificates and you will need to generate these in your host LMS yourself.
195 real user reviews
Interesting and enlightening
Interesting and enlightening to know a bit more about what happens behind the scenes of day to day care.
Very relevant and informative
This course was very helpful in that it discussed issues which I had very little knowledge . Am glad that I was able to do the course. Thank you
Good
This user gave this course a rating of 5/5 stars
Excellent course
Well worth carrying out
good course
Good course easy to digest and good pace
mostly irrelevant to my role in supporte
The course gives a good over view but there is quite a lot of gobbledygook/ technical phrases that people will find hard or switch off to. The general processes are OKit might be more the employers needing to give an annual update to DOLs and this is the most cost effective way.Also with multiple choice answers all it does is teach someone how to pass the test and not necessarily learn the content.The course is really just for Hospital and Care home education with the odd aside for home care and supported living. Maybe there needs to be more liaison between training providers, employers and staff so that the correct package can be provided.Pretty sure if I worked in other sectors of care this would be a lot more relevant.
Bit difficult
This user gave this course a rating of 5/5 stars
Very informative
Easy to understand
Why is this training important?
Compliance
It's important that you comply with the law and know the ways in which it affects you and the way you work.
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards are an amendment to the Mental Capacity Act 2005. They apply in England and Wales only. The MCA DOLS were introduced to prevent deprivations of liberty without proper safeguards including independent consideration and authorisation. Deprivations of liberty in hospitals or care homes - other than under the Mental Health Act - should now follow the MCA DOLS process and all affected patients and residents should benefit from the new safeguards.
[This] legislation includes a statutory requirement for all care homes and hospitals as well as local authorities to keep clear and comprehensive records for every person deprived of their liberty. This includes records of applications for authorisations, details of the assessment process, information about the relevant person's representative and the documentation related to termination of authorisation.
There are six assessments which have to take place before a standard authorisation can be given to deprive somebody of their liberty.
Ready to get started?
We’ve helped over 10,000 organisations easily work towards legislative compliance. Let us help you too.
Related articles
Placeholder image for What is Safeguarding? Our guide to protecting vulnerable individuals
eLearning news & guides
What is Safeguarding? Our guide to protecting vulnerable individuals
Placeholder image for Who Do I Report Abuse To?... And What To Do If You’ve Been Accused Of Abuse
eLearning news & guides