Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)

Welcome to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards training course.

Depriving someone of their liberty is a serious decision, and you must always follow the correct legal process. This training guides you through each step, helping you act lawfully, safely, and with sensitivity.

The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) protect individuals who may lack the mental capacity to make decisions for themselves. They ensure you only apply restrictions when they are necessary, proportionate, and in the person’s best interests, while also protecting their rights.

With over 300,000 DoLS applications recorded in recent years—and numbers continuing to rise—care professionals must fully understand their responsibilities.

This course explains what DoLS are and outlines the six assessments you must complete before authorising a deprivation of liberty. It also clarifies the differences between restraint, restriction, and deprivation, so you can apply the correct approach in practice.

You will learn how to follow policies and procedures. You will keep accurate records and use the correct documentation at every stage. The course also provides a clear, step-by-step guide to the urgent authorisation process. This helps you act quickly and appropriately when needed.

This course is 30 minutes long and includes the following sections:

1. Deprivation of Liberty : In this section you will explore what Deprivation of Liberty is. You will learn about restraints and restrictions and how applying them for a period of time could add to deprivation of liberty.
2. How to authorise a Deprivation of Liberty : This section details the 2 authorisation procedures. The standard authorisation and the urgent authorisation procedure. Learn about the review process and the assessments that need to be completed.
3. Safeguards : This section focuses on why safeguards exist to protect human rights to be free. You will learn what safeguards can’t be used and how to consider if you have doubts someone is being deprived of there liberty.
4. Record Keeping : The final section looks at care homes and hospitals and the procedures they use for the Mental Capacity Act. The importance of accurate record keeping is assessed.

By then of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards course you will understand the importance of accurate record-keeping in DoLS. What deprivation of liberty means and who it affects and the different types of authorisation procedures.