Dols application

[CT76]

what exactly is Dols and why is it needed? My sons social worker copied me into an email to the college saying there is no need to wait for my son start college to apply for Dols and to apply for it now. Should I worry?

[Jofisher]

deprivation of liberty it means like my son if someone needs to be in a locked service for their safety. It wouldn’t be safe for my son not to be in a locked service as he has no insight to danger. People who have dementia etc need to be in a locked service for their own safety often as well. But you need to prove that a DOLSis required as you can’t go around locking people in for no reason thank god. I hope this helps

[CT76 in reply to Jofisher]

Thankyou. The college he is ' meant' to be attending has keypad entry for all areas so maybe thats why? At home nothing is locked up and hes always safe. He has never ran out of the house etc. Ive had no end of bother. During transition home visits by staff were held. All these visits staff were late, with no communication why. Over 2hrs late leaving my son distressed. One visit he lay naked on the bathroom floor, unresponsive for 2.5 hours. Staff also lied around being late. I decided that this college wasnt suitable but was told by the social worker that I had to follow the best interest plan or it would go to court of protection. My son's best interest is open for review depending on how he was presenting and at the time he wasnt presenting positively 😔. After meetings I decided to give it another go. Last week my son had a visit to college overnight. Staff communicated with me in the morning to say he had a bath that morning and was getting ready for a day in education. My son told me the next day, when I was bathing him, that he didnt have a bath, get washed or have his yeeth cleaned. My son is able to communicate and if there is something wrong in his routine he will communicate it. He has been very unsettled since as his routine has been broken. I spoke to the college and they are saying he refused a bath but was washed and had his teeth cleaned and it has all been documented. So they have given me incorrect information of his visit but staff are also documenting falsely. This is a huge worry for me as there is alot of dishonesty and my sons care needs and routines are not being followed which in turn has left him unsettled. My son is due to start full time Monday but Im not happy. The college and social worker are not addressing my concerns, they are circling around it and and keep on emphasising that my son refused a bath. Thats not my worry. Just dont know what to do 😔

[Jofisher in reply to CT76]

can you use your sons money for a consultant social worker as they can be hugely helpful.

[Ronca in reply to Jofisher]

Don't be bullied by threats of Court of Protection. You are not on trial. You are advocating for your sons best interests. Dont feel intimidated.

[Jofisher in reply to Ronca]

I think this is meant for someone else

[Bergersil400]

Just before my daughter moved into supported living in July we pointed out to them, that having a front door that although have to unlock from outside, it wouldn't be locked once inside, very much like in a modern hotel , wouldn't work for our daughter as she would constantly be opening the door, and going into other residents rooms. They made a fuss initially, about changing the lock, but soon did so when I mentioned it to the clinical lead from continuing health care.

It is much safer now that the dooris locked and she rarely tries to tug on the lock.

She does have a patio door for access to shared garden as well, which can be left open when supervised by staff, as both side gates can only be opened with a key code.

I believe common sense is more important than what social workers feel is the right thing.

[BenjiB in reply to Bergersil400]

if she can’t freely leave for her own safety, they will have/or should have a DOL in place. It’s nothing to do with social workers it’s the court of protection.

[Bergersil400 in reply to BenjiB]

In this case it seemed to be the management of the home dragging their feet and assuming one case fits all so to speak.

We don't have social worker as health funded, so got intervention from clinical lead continuing health care, who resolved it for us.

They also had side gates installed to ensure garden was enclosed.. Initially when flats built last year there were no side gates. The staff had them fitted when a resident kept trying to get to complex entrance. I also informed them they would need to get them fitted before my daughter moved in. They were fitted a day before her arrival. I felt it took an incident before they did so.

[BenjiB in reply to Bergersil400]

God no side gates fitted! Makes your blood run cold doesn’t it. My son is health funded too and just moved to a residential care setting. One of the reasons we chose it is because it’s rural and if by any chance he did get out of the house he’d be safe for a good few miles in either direction. I used to run a care home myself but nearly fell over when I saw the placement cost due to having to put so much and so many staff in place to keep him safe.

[BenjiB]

no nothing to worry about. My son has a DOLs in place at his residential house , he also has one at college and one at home before. We have to keep the front door locked at home and also had to lock food etc away. It’s good practice. It’s basically the Court of Protection saying it’s legally 0k to do those things to keep your son safe.

[Lotpot]

HI Simply put a Dols looks at capacity to make decisions and if there is a lack of capacity after a capacity test has been completed by the local authority then a dols may be raised, normally for decisions around being able to choose where someone is living, actually being able to leave the building unattended and can be having doors or cupboards locked or alarmed in a home. for example a person getting up in the night and leaving the communal door to the building open where the sleep in person would need to hear an alarm to ensure the safety of all the people living there. hope this helps