BIA Report Writing 13 September 2021

Aims

This one day course is targeted specifically at qualified Best Interests Assessors (BIAs) and aims to provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to ensure robust and legally defensible assessments under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Learning outcomes:

• To consider what evidence to present to meet the legal requirements of DoLS.

• To understand the latest case law as it applies to DoLS and how to apply this to BIA assessments.

• To be able to use the combined assessment form (form 3) for BIAs effectively

Programme:

• The latest MCA and DoLS news

• No refusals assessment – what to record

• Continuous supervision and control & not to free to leave in detail

• The person is deprived of their liberty– what to record

• Best interests – what to record to meet the requirements of the statutory checklist

• It is necessary to deprive the person of their liberty in this way in order to prevent harm to the person – what to record

• Depriving the person of their liberty in this way is a proportionate response – what to record

• Benefits and burdens analysis – how to use and what to record

• Selecting a representative – the eligibility criteria and what to record

• Setting the maximum authorisation period – justifying the maximum authorisation period

• Setting conditions – what to consider and how to record

• DoLS assessment of capacity – the decision and general principles.

• Recording the capacity assessment

The course will be delivered by Piers McNeil

Piers McNeil is an independent social worker with 18 years experience in a range of adult social care fields, including: learning disability, physical disability, and older persons mental health. Piers is also a qualified DoLS Best Interests Assessor & was previously a Court of Protection visitor. He was also previously employed as a local authority MCA/safeguarding lead. Piers has led practice forums for Best Interests Assessors and has designed and delivered training to a range of audiences.