Teaching and assessment
Teaching
The module is delivered over a four day teaching block, followed by a shadowing opportunity and a further teaching day. This is supplemented with web based support. Teaching methods are largely interactive including seminar discussions, lecture presentations, caselaw analysis, DOLS documentation exercises and skills workshops.
The module is taught by staff from the School of Law, other Schools and visiting speakers, including experienced practitioners and service users.
The School has a distinctive profile in UK legal education and a long-standing reputation in research which draws on socio-legal perspectives and makes a difference in society. In REF 2014, 53% of the School's impact work was world leading placing us 15th nationally for world-leading impact work.
Students benefit from excellent facilities in the School of Law including a dedicated study room and IT equipment, and student social spaces.
Assessment
The pass mark for the module is 50%. Assessment is in two parts:
A Case study of 4000 words (70% of the marks):
A decided case for the Court of Protection or other relevant court will be analysed in terms of its impact on the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DOLS) and the role of the Best Interests Assessor (BIA). This will include detailed discussion of related decisions in the context of the framework of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
By Coursework (30% of the marks):
Students will shadow a BIA in the course of an assessment for a Deprivation of Liberty Authorisation, complete a mock application form for a Deprivation of Liberty Authorisation (suitably anonymised) in respect of the case shadowed and a reflective account of the assessment process. Students will be employees of local authority social services departments or health authorities and as such are subject to the requirements of the professional regulatory body, the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC) regarding confidentiality and other ethical matters. Employers will provide the shadowing experience with a senior co-employee already qualified as a Best Interests Assessor.