School of Society and Community

Undergraduate Credit Best Interests Assessor Training

Undergraduate Credit Part-time 1 year

Students will need to shadow a Best Interests Assessor undertaking Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments and compile a portfolio demonstrating capability in practice. 

Students will need to shadow a Best Interests Assessor undertaking Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments and compile a portfolio demonstrating capability in practice. 

Award
Undergraduate Credit
Start date(s)
21 March 2024,6 April 2024,27 September 2024,2 October 2023
UCAS Code
Course specifications
Course length
Part-time (1 year)
Campus location
Wolverhampton City Campus
School
School of Society and Community
UCAS points calculator

Why choose this course?

The course aims to equip candidates to demonstrate to the relevant statutory Supervisory Bodies that they have the relevant skills, knowledge and values to act as Best Interest Assessors under the Mental Capacity Act (2005) as amended by the Mental Health Act (2007) and to carry out any other assessments related to a potential deprivation of liberty that they are eligible to conduct.

 BIA Course Guide (Word doc 152k) 2022/2023

BIA-Information (Word doc 112k) 2022/2023

 TIMETABLE

27.09.21  Induction Presentation / Enrolment and University Library Services 
04.10.21  Historical Context and the Implications of the MCA (2005) 
11.10.21  DOLS, An Overview / Interface between DOLS and HRA Pt. 1 
18.10.21   The Portfolio (Proformas Construction for Practice) 
25.10.21  Reading Week- No Lectures 
01.11.21  Interface between DOLS and HRA Pt. 2 
08.11.21  The DOLS Forms (with LO) 
15.11.21  Complex BI Assessments 
22.11.21  Group Tutorial / Assignment Workshop (AM) 
11.01.22  SUBMISSION 

What happens on the course?

We will consider the broad context of legal frameworks and practising within the law, and there will be an introduction to/reminder of some key issues of the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and the Human Rights Act (1998). We will then focus on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. Practice issues will include risk assessments, complex decision-making and service user and carer perspectives.

Students will need to shadow a Best Interests Assessor undertaking Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards assessments and compile a portfolio demonstrating capability in practice. This includes completing a report on the shadowed assessment and obtaining feedback from the relevant Supervisory Body.

Find our Module(s) below.

Cost: £933 (2023/24) or speak with your employer. (If 5 or more people are attending from one organisation please contact the module leader for group discounts.)

Course Modules

Potential Career Paths

If successful, the candidate will be eligible for appointment by a supervisory body (a local authority or PCT) to act as a Best Interests Assessor under the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. 

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

The course is open to the following people:

  • an approved mental health professional or
  • a social worker registered with the Health and Care Professional Council or
  • a first level nurse, registered in Sub-Part 1 of the Nurses’ Part of the Register maintained under article 5 of the Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 or
  • an occupational therapist registered in Part 6 of the register maintained under article 5 of the Health Professions Order 2001
  • or
  • a chartered psychologist who is listed in the British Psychological Society’s Register of Chartered Psychologists and who holds a relevant practising certificate issued by that Society and who
  • is not suspended from the register or list relevant to the person’s profession and
  • has at least two years post registration experience in that profession
  • All applicants will need to upload a fully completed Agency Reference form along with the application form. This will confirm that the candidate will receive the necessary support and learning opportunities to complete the course. Self-funding applicants can find a copy of the form below or request a copy of the form from the course coordinator by emailing I.Lloyd@wlv.ac.uk. Applicants whose employers are funding the course should receive a copy as part of the process of agreeing the training.
  • It is strongly recommended that before undertaking this course, students complete the stand-alone module Decision-making and interventions with adults in a legal framework

Download the agency reference form.

Self-funding:

If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: see How to pay.

Gateway.


Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:

If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.

We must receive notification of sponsorship in writing as soon as possible, and before enrolment, confirming that the sponsor will pay your tuition fees.


Financial Hardship:

Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.


Bursaries and Scholarships:

In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages

You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.

Telephone

01902 32 22 22

Email

enquiries@wlv.ac.uk

Online

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