This book provides a theory-to-practice breakdown of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and what its implications are for health and social care workers. Informative and accessible, it provides a clear depiction of the ethos behind the Act and offers instruction for its effective, lawful and person-centred application. This practical guide describes how to assess capacity and what a good assessment of capacity should look like, how to deal with conflicts and dilemmas, and the role of legal authority in decision-making. A Practical Guide to the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is an invaluable resource for any health and social care professionals working with individuals who lack decision-making capacity.

This book provides mental capacity practitioners with accessible ethical guidance and applicable tools for applying the Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005. It shows how clients' relationships can impact their capacity in positive and negative ways, and which communication skills practitioners can use to enable and empower those with impairment. It also covers how to engage in self-reflection and transparent debate about values to improve the quality of assessments. Helping practitioners interpret complex issues of mental capacity in the most beneficial way for clients, this book is essential reading for students and practitioners of law, medicine, mental health services and social care.

This book will help social workers and practitioners to find achievable solutions to support autistic people - including those with complex needs - to live fulfilling lives in their communities. Far too many autistic people are currently in inappropriate institutional placements, putting their basic human rights at risk and experiencing a poor quality of life. Good quality support for autistic people is achievable, even in a social care system under pressure. This book will help practitioners to develop high quality community support to facilitate discharges and prevent admissions, by providing them with effective, practical strategies to communicate with and more effectively support autistic people right across the spectrum. Common assumptions and beliefs are challenged, including the idea that 'behaviours' are an inevitable part of autism, and practical approaches are offered to promote autonomy, respect for human rights and empathy with autistic perspectives as a basis for preventing distressed behaviour. This will enable practitioners to support and empower all autistic people to achieve a good quality of life in their communities.