Supporting Children on DoL Orders – Manager Toolkit

A practical toolkit created for Registered Managers supporting children subject to Deprivation of Liberty (DoL) orders.

I created this package using my own experience of managing and overseeing complex DoL placements, thinking about what I would have genuinely valued as a manager - not more paperwork, but clear guidance and practical tools that help you think, make confident decisions, support your team and evidence your rationale.

The toolkit includes 21 practical resources and 6 editable management tools, covering:

• Referral, matching and admission
• Translating DoL orders into everyday staff practice
• Therapeutic and least restrictive approaches
• Restriction rationale and preventing restriction creep
• Child-centred step-down and safety planning
• Serious incidents and risk-pattern analysis
• Professional challenge and advocacy
• Mental-health crisis and hospital/discharge planning
• Missing, CSE/CCE and contextual safeguarding
• Staff confidence and leadership
• Placement stability and last-resort decision-making
• Regulation 40 and RM/RI oversight
• Monthly governance and Ofsted-ready evidence

A strong focus runs throughout on relationships, child voice, positive risk-taking and helping children safely move towards greater freedom and independence.

This isn't designed to replace professional judgement, legal advice or statutory guidance. It's designed to support managers making difficult decisions in complex situations and give their teams a clearer understanding of the why behind their practice.

21 practical resources | 6 editable tools | Instant digital download

£147

A DoL gives adults more responsibility — not more permission to stop thinking.