Claire Webster
Principal Social Worker, DCC-iFocus: MCA, DoLS, safeguarding, implementation and system practice.
Risk, Safeguarding & Self-Neglect
MCA / DoLS / DoL / RIGHTS-BASED PRACTICE
Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Practice Support
Supporting organisations working with the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty.
Discover our infographics, tools, learning and reflective prompts which aim to embed rights-based, human-centred practice, developed by people with practical experience and specialist knowledge.
Critical friends for thoughtful MCA, DoLS, DoL and rights-based practice.
Orientation
Your MCA and Deprivation of Liberty workspace
Get your bearings: what this practice support space helps with, the practice boundary, and the expertise behind it.
Start here
Start here: navigating the support you need
You may have arrived here looking for practical MCA and DoLS support, or for help thinking through capacity, best interests, deprivation of liberty and rights-based practice.
This page brings together tools, briefings, visual summaries and reflection points for day-to-day decision-making, supervision, team discussion and professional CPD.
Use it when you need to revisit key principles, explore a practice theme, prepare for supervision, or slow down around a decision that feels complex, restrictive or uncertain.
Practice expertise behind this page
MCA and DoLS support grounded in real practice expertise
Shaped by DCC-i practitioners with deep experience across Mental Capacity Act practice, DoLS, deprivation of liberty, safeguarding, human rights and social care. It brings together legal literacy, practice wisdom, lived experience and reflective learning, keeping the support close to the decisions practitioners are actually facing.
Daisy Long
Chief Executive Officer, DCC-iFocus: Social work leadership, mental health, human rights, lived experience and reflective practice.
Use something now
Practical MCA and DoLS support, ready to use
The working console: briefings, visual summaries, tools and reflective prompts you can pick up straight away.
Ready to use now
Practical MCA and DoLS resources
Browse briefings, visual summaries, tools, prompts and selected links to support reflection, supervision, team discussion and rights-based decision-making.
MCA / DoLS briefings
MCA briefing shelf
Short DCC-i briefings and explainers for Mental Capacity Act, DoLS and deprivation of liberty practice.
Includes DoLS updates, AMHP briefings, best interests, Article 5 and least restrictive practice.
Open MCA briefing shelf
MCA / DoLS visual summaries
MCA infographic stand
Visual summaries and practice diagrams for MCA, DoLS, supervision and rights-based decision-making.
AGNI Triangle, 2026 DoL Judgment, Article 5, objection, wishes and feelings.
Open MCA infographic stand
MCA / DoLS tools and apps
MCA tools and reflective apps
Decision aids, reflective tools and interactive apps for use in supervision, team discussion and day-to-day MCA decision-making.
Decision aids, reflective tools and interactive apps for MCA and deprivation of liberty practice.
Open MCA tools
MCA / DoLS practice prompts
MCA Flashcards
Supervision prompts, team discussion prompts and reflective questions to use straight away.
Open flashcardsTop 5 links
- Mental Capacity Act39 Essex Chambers — Mental Capacity Resource CentreFree monthly Mental Capacity Reports, guidance notes on assessing capacity and best interests, and a searchable database of Court of Protection case summaries.
- Mental Capacity ActMental Capacity Act (MCA) — SCIESCIE's MCA hub for care and health staff, with guidance on assessing capacity, supporting decision-making, DoLS, LPS and the IMCA role, plus training and free resources.
- Deprivation of libertyMental Capacity Law and PolicyAlex Ruck Keene's blog offering commentary on Court of Protection cases and mental capacity developments, with papers, articles and resources for lawyers and practitioners.
- Mental Capacity ActNICE NG108 — Decision-making and mental capacityNICE's guideline on decision-making and mental capacity, with recommendations on supporting decision-making, advance care planning, capacity assessment and best interests.
- Mental Capacity ActThe Mental Capacity ToolkitA toolkit for health and social care professionals, covering capacity assessment, best interests, supported decision-making and deprivation of liberty across nine practical sections.
MCA / DoLS practice support
Useful external links
Top 5 quick links to guidance, commentary and reference points for MCA, DoLS and deprivation of liberty practice.
View full MCA external links indexWork through a practice question
Navigate the practice, slow the thinking down
A guided space: route in by practice theme, then work through a decision with the supervision and team learning pathway.
Find support by practice question
Explore by practice theme
Use these routes to find support by the practice question you are working with, from capacity assessment and best interests to deprivation of liberty, objection and supervision. Browse by practice theme is coming soon, so for now work through the reflective supervision pathway alongside the support that is ready to use.
1Browse by practice themeComing soon
We’re gradually building a wider library of MCA and DoLS support. Once there is enough content in each area, you’ll be able to explore it here by theme.
For now, the most useful place to start is the Ready to use now section above.
- Mental Capacity Act practiceComing soon
- Deprivation of liberty and DoLSComing soon
- Best interests and least restrictive practiceComing soon
- Wishes, feelings and objectionComing soon
Theme filters will become available as more resources are added.
2Work through the pathway
A reflective route for MCA, DoLS and deprivation of liberty discussions.
Supervision and team learning pathway
Use this pathway to slow down MCA and deprivation of liberty decision-making in supervision, team meetings or individual reflection. It is designed to help people notice assumptions, hear the person more clearly and test whether restrictions are necessary, proportionate and rights-based.
This is a reflective practice pathway, not a legal decision tree. It does not replace legal advice, statutory guidance or local policy.
Use the visual pathway as a quick guide, then work through the expanded prompts below for discussion, supervision or recording.
Stage 1 of 6Understand the personWho is this person?
Before discussing restrictions, understand the individual.
- What matters most to them?
- What are their wishes, feelings, values and beliefs?
- What relationships are important?
- What does a “good day” look like?
- What does independence mean to them?
- How are they communicating their views?
Reflective questionAre we seeing the person first, or only seeing the risks?
Stage 2 of 6Understand what is actually happeningWhat does everyday life really look like?
Move beyond care plans and labels.
- Where does the person live?
- Who decides where they go?
- Who controls visitors?
- Can they spend money?
- Who manages medication?
- What happens if they refuse care?
- What happens if they try to leave?
- What restrictions happen routinely?
- Which restrictions are physical, environmental, relational or technological?
Reflective questionIf I observed this person for a week, what would I actually see?
Stage 3 of 6How does this land on this person?What is the person’s lived experience?
The impact of arrangements matters, not just their existence.
- How restrictive does this feel?
- Is the person distressed, content, or do they object?
- How do they communicate objection?
- Are they complying because they genuinely agree, or because they have stopped resisting?
- Do they understand enough to meaningfully accept the arrangements?
- Consider duration, intensity, frequency, cumulative impact, dignity and autonomy.
Reflective questionHow might this feel if it were happening to me?
Stage 4 of 6Could things be less restrictive?Have we challenged the restrictions?
Before asking whether there is a deprivation of liberty, ask whether there needs to be.
- Why is each restriction there?
- Is it necessary? Is it proportionate?
- Is there evidence it works?
- What could safely be reduced?
- What alternatives have been considered?
- What positive risk-taking is possible?
Reflective questionHave we accepted restrictions because they are familiar rather than necessary?
Stage 5 of 6What safeguards are needed?What legal and practice response follows?
Only now consider the legal pathway.
- Does the person have capacity regarding the arrangements?
- Is valid consent present?
- Is independent advocacy required?
- Is there disagreement?
- Does this amount to a possible deprivation of liberty?
- Is safeguarding required?
- Does this require legal advice or Court involvement?
- Possible responses: best interests decision, care planning review, capacity assessment, advocacy, safeguarding, senior review or Court application.
Reflective questionWhat safeguard protects this person’s rights today?
Stage 6 of 6Record, review and remain curiousHow do we keep this under review?
Good practice means remaining reflective.
- Record why decisions were made and the evidence relied upon.
- Record the person’s views and any differing professional opinions.
- Record proportionality, the review date and what might change the decision.
- What evidence would change my view?
- Have I made assumptions? What needs revisiting?
Reflective questionWould somebody reading this in court understand how I reached this decision?
Use one stage at a time in supervision, or work through the pathway when a decision feels complex, restrictive or uncertain. You might try one prompt before supervision, one during discussion and one before recording the decision.
For practitioners and teams
Practitioner questions and practice themes
Are you seeing a practice question in supervision, team discussion or day-to-day MCA work? Share the theme with us. We may use anonymised questions to shape future prompts, briefings and practice resources.
Practice questions and themesSurfaced in supervision and team discussion
What do ‘objections’ look like?
What is the difference between compliance, acquiescence and consent?
When do restrictions turn into a deprivation of liberty?
What evidence do we need to authorise a deprivation of liberty?
Before you share a question
- Please do not include names, case details or identifiable information.
- DCC-i cannot give case-specific legal advice.
- Questions may be grouped, edited or anonymised to shape future resources.
- We may not be able to respond to every question individually.
Stay connected
A live practice support board
What practitioners are asking, what DCC-i is watching, and where to go next.
Public information · always free
What this means day to day
MCA, deprivation of liberty and AGNI explained in plain English for people, families, carers and anyone trying to understand rights, restrictions and safeguards.
Open access for people, families and carers
DCC-i keeps this information open so people can understand rights, safeguards and the questions they may want to ask.
No account, payment or portal access is needed.
Plain English · Rights-based · Public
Also useful for practitioners and teams
This section is mainly for people, families, carers and PWLE, but it may also help practitioners understand the questions people are likely to ask.
MCA, deprivation of liberty and AGNIUnderstand what the Mental Capacity Act, deprivation of liberty and AGNI may mean day to day.Use this as a starting point before opening the fuller live briefing board.
What this is about
The Mental Capacity Act protects people aged 16 and over who may have difficulty making some decisions for themselves because of illness, disability or injury.
Sometimes a person’s care or support arrangements may restrict their freedom in a significant way. When this happens, professionals may need to consider whether legal safeguards are needed.
What is a deprivation of liberty?
A deprivation of liberty can happen when someone’s care or support arrangements restrict their freedom in a significant way.
This might include situations where a person needs a high level of supervision, is not free to leave, or has restrictions placed on their day-to-day life to keep them safe.
The law provides safeguards to make sure any deprivation of liberty is lawful, necessary, proportionate and regularly reviewed. These safeguards are there to protect people’s human rights.
What the AGNI judgment may mean
The AGNI judgment encourages professionals to look at the person’s whole situation – not just whether they are supervised and controlled, but how restrictions affect them, whether they understand what is happening, and whether they object or appear distressed.
For many people, day-to-day care may not change straight away. What may change is how professionals explain, record and review whether safeguards are needed.
What does this mean for individuals and families?
For many people, day-to-day care and support may not change straight away.
What may change is how professionals think about, explain, record and review whether legal safeguards are needed.
Families and carers may want to ask what restrictions are in place, why they are needed, how the person’s views are being understood, and when the arrangements will be reviewed.
The law and practice in this area are still developing. As national guidance, local policies and practice resources become available, DCC-i will add updates to this page.
What we’re watching
- Formal guidance
- Government response
- Legal commentary
- Disability rights responses
- Local authority practice
- Safeguarding implications
- Training and supervision
- DCC-i portal resources
Last reviewed: 16 June 2026
The live briefing board is also public and will be updated as guidance, commentary and resources develop.
View live briefing boardQuestions families and carers may be askingThese are practical questions families, carers and people close to someone may ask when care or support starts to affect a person’s freedom, choices or day-to-day life.
My mum keeps trying to leave the care home — can staff stop her if they think she is not safe?
DCC-i response Staff may need to keep someone safe, but stopping a person leaving is a serious restriction. Families can ask why this is happening, whether the person understands, whether they are upset by it, and how the decision is being reviewed.
My dad is safe, but his life feels very controlled — is there another way to support him without stopping so much ordinary life?
DCC-i response Safety matters, but so do freedom, dignity, relationships and everyday routines. Families can ask whether the support is more restrictive than it needs to be, what alternatives have been tried, and what would need to change for restrictions to be reduced.
My brother does not speak, but gets distressed when carers help him — how do people know if he is agreeing or objecting?
DCC-i response Objection is not always spoken. Distress, pulling away, becoming withdrawn, refusing care or changes in behaviour may all matter. Families often know how the person shows discomfort, agreement or refusal, and that knowledge should be listened to.
Before you share a question
- Please do not include names, case details or identifiable information.
- DCC-i cannot give case-specific legal advice.
- Questions may be grouped, edited or anonymised to shape future resources.
- We may not be able to respond to every question individually.
Where next?
Support for individual practitioners, organisations and teams
Whether you are an individual practitioner or supporting a wider team, DCC-i can help you keep learning, reflecting and applying MCA, DoLS and deprivation of liberty practice with confidence.