My son is 30 and has always lived with us. He has cerebral palsy, global developmental delay and is totally dependent on us. Following a review with SS 3 years ago, the team leader said she wanted to do a Community Dols on him. To date I have never heard of anyone living with their parents and being cared for by them have a Community Dols which has to go through the Court of Protection. There have not been any changes in his care. None of his peers have had one, and his day care and respite service have heard of anyone else having a Community Dols. Has anyone on here been in this position?
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Hi @Drina_2209 welcome to the forum. This might help to explain it. https://proceduresonline.com/trixcms/media/6254/community-dols-guidance-v1-oct-2020.pdf
You need to speak to either citizens advice or contacts the carers Helpline or a solicitor or mp.
Like you said, if your son was at risk they would have done it sooner but the SS like to play games. I am wondering if there is something going on in the background and the SS will not say until it goes to court. Either you or someone needs to challenge them, as they are only people who think they are gods but are just bullies. Mum had dols put on her but that was in hospital and was not on it long.
All I can say is good luck but I am sure others on here might have more knowledge than me.
I have contacted various bodies since 2021 and have heard nothing conclusive. My son has been disabled since birth and we have continually cared for him at home. Iām sure there are many in the same situation and just wondered if anyone had a Community Dols as no one I know has. At the time the review was over the phone due to covid. No one from SS has come to see my son. The āacid testā was applied, which would apply to many of his peers that we know.
Hi @Drina_2209 ,
None of the young people with special needs that we know who live with family have a DOLS. However, those living in supported living and residential settings that we know, do if they are vulnerable and need someone to go out with them.
A social worker did once think S needed one because I had to unlock the front door to let her in and relocked it (we lived on a rough estate.) I asked them if they locked their front door too? Of course they admitted they did.
I pointed out that S knows where the keys are and that he is perfectly capable of locking and unlocking the door and does so independently to empty he bins or if he has left something in the car by mistake.
They also asked if he could leave or go out on his own if he wanted too. I said yes he could (knowing full well he would never do this. Iād love him to able to walk to the local shop by himself etc however, he can only cross a road independently if it has a pelican crossing, and we live on the outskirts of a city.
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Thanks Melly1, my son is totally dependent on us. He canāt tell us what he wants, but we can tell from his facial expressions and vocalisation. He has no self help skills at all. We have cared for him his whole life. I just wondered at what age caring for child became depriving them of their liberty?
As Iāve said I never heard of anyone else in a similar situation have a Community Dols, which has to be done by the Court of Protection. Can you imagine if they did it with everyone caring for their adult special needs children.
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Go to the LA website and make a Subject Access Request for details of everything they have on file about you, for the last 2 years. They must comply within 28 days or so. Once you have this, ask whoever wants the DOLS why? I would also make a Freedom of Information Requst via their website about the cost of a DOLS investigation. Then once you know, ask if this is an appropriate use of council tax?!
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Dear Drina_2209
I am very sorry to hear about your situation and I hope it gets resolved. I am Kristie I am an online community host. Welcome to the Forum! You are not alone in this forum and we are sure that many on here will understand exactly how you feel and will offer you support. Caring can be very lonely and challenging.
Carers UK are running online weekly meet-ups for carers and you can find the information to register at Care For A Cuppa:-Online meetups | Carers UK. The second weekly meet up is called Share and Learn this can be found at:- Share and Learn | Carers Scotland.
Telephone number is 0808 808 7777 from Monday-Friday, 9am-6pm and our email address is (advice@carersuk.org)
They provide information and guidance to unpaid carers. This covers:-
-Benefits and Financial Support
-Your Rights as a Carer in the Workplace
-Carers Assessment and how to get Support in your Caring Role
-Services Available to Carers and the People you Care For
-How to Complain Effectively and Challenge Decisions
Best Wishes
Kristie
@Drina_2209 A community DOLS is about deciding where an individual should live. Itās a really complicated area, and in the last 20 years Iāve never come across a situation like yours - although I have heard of them in other parts of the country, very rarely.
If they are looking at this, then there are likely concerns about whether your son has any chocie or control in his life. Itās important to understand that a 30 year old may be your child but they are not a child. The law treats all adults as having the same rights, except where it has been decided through a mental capacity assessment that they cannot make the decision to exercise that right.
The DOLs is there to examine whether the restrictions that are placed on an individual are necessary and proportionate - āleast restrictiveā. That is, the least restrictive option that can meet their needs. A DOLS was done on our son to agree that he was not able to choose where to live without help, and was not able to make the decisions required to run a household. The options available were for him to continue to live with us (which we wanted to change), to go into a care home, or to go into a form of supported living. The latter was deemed to be the least restrictive option and a Best Interests Decision was made. Heās been in supported living since 2010, and although there have been some glitches, itās mostly worked very well for him.