There were 227,400 applications for DoLS received during 2017-18, with almost three quarters relating to people aged 75 and over.

  • Human Resources
  • 40 languages
  • 30m

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. 1
    What is Deprivation of Liberty?
  2. 2
    Authorising a Deprivation of Liberty
  3. 3
    The Safeguards
  4. 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 was 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.

2022 – 2023 saw 300,765 applications for DoLS, with an 11% increase compared to the previous year.

This DoLS 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

The 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 more

Available in 40 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 (DoLS) training 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 DoLS 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 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.

332 real user reviews

4.5

out of 5

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good course

The page was easy to navigate, and the training well presented.

Good info on a complicated subject

This user gave this course a rating of 4/5 stars

Good

This user gave this course a rating of 5/5 stars

good refresher

clear informative, information enjoyable course and easy to follow

This is best guidance for my job life Thanks

This user gave this course a rating of 5/5 stars

too slow and distracting

most courses use 2x speed or allow for those who read faster for completion of course. Course runs so slowly that its hard to maintain attention

Wonderful, would recommend this style of teaching to my other friends whether they have ADD, or ADHD. I thank God that this type of study material and certification is made so comprehensive, and provides other sources for further study into the subjects.

This user gave this course a rating of 5/5 stars

Very well set out

I found that the course was set out very well and easy to understand and to follow. This course has helped refresh my knowledge about this subject.

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.

The Mental Capacity Act Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (MCA DOLS)

There are six assessments which have to take place before a standard authorisation can be given to deprive somebody of their liberty.

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