Court of Protection

What is the Court of Protection?

The Court of Protection is a special court. It helps people who cannot make decisions for themselves. This might be because they are sick or have a disability.

The court makes important choices about things like money, property, and healthcare for these people.

Some helpful tools and tips for understanding:

• Ask someone you trust to explain in simple words.
• Use pictures or videos to understand better.
• Take your time reading each part slowly.

Who Does the Court of Protection Help?

The Court of Protection helps people who can't make decisions for themselves. This can be because of a problem with their brain or a disability.

If someone can't decide about money or health, the Court finds someone to help them.

To understand better, you can:
- Ask a friend or family member to explain.
- Use pictures or drawings to help you see what it means.
- Listen to someone read it out loud to you.

How do I ask the Court of Protection for help?

What does the Court of Protection do?

The Court of Protection makes important decisions to help people who may find it hard to make choices for themselves. This may be because they are not well or have a learning difficulty.

Here are some things the Court of Protection does:

• Money: It helps decide what happens with a person's money if they cannot decide themselves.
• Health & Care: It decides where a person should live or what kind of care they should have if they need help deciding.
• Letters & Forms: It helps with signing important papers if someone cannot do it on their own.

Some tools that can help understand more:

• Pictures: Use pictures to show what the court does.
• Videos: Watch videos that explain what the court decides.
• Ask for Help: Talk to someone you trust like a teacher, family member, or support worker.

How does the Court of Protection decide if someone cannot make decisions?

The Court of Protection helps people who cannot make decisions for themselves. They check if someone can understand information, make choices, and tell others what they want.

Here is how they check:

• Understand information: The person needs to know what information they have and what choices they can make.
• Remember information: The person should be able to remember the important facts.
• Think about choices: The person should think about the good and bad of each choice.
• Tell others: The person should say or show what they have decided.

If someone cannot do these things, the court might help them with decisions.

Tools to help understand:

• Pictures or videos
• Helping words (like lists or simple explanations)

What is a Deputy?

A deputy is a helper or assistant. They help someone important. For example, a deputy helps a boss or a leader. They support them by doing jobs and making decisions.

Here are some ways to understand better:

• Ask someone to explain the word.
• Watch a video about what deputies do.
• Use picture cards to learn new words.

How can I become a Deputy?

Do you want to be a Deputy? Here is how you can do it:

1. **Learn about the job:** Find out what a Deputy does. You can ask someone who knows or read simple books.

2. **Go to school:** Stay in school and do your best. Ask for help if you find something hard.

3. **Talk to a grown-up:** Ask a grown-up or teacher to help you learn more. They might know someone who is a Deputy.

4. **Use the internet:** There are videos and websites that can tell you more about being a Deputy.

5. **Practice speaking clearly:** Deputies often talk to people, so practice talking clearly with friends or family.

What does a Deputy do?

A Deputy helps make decisions for someone who cannot do it themselves. They make sure to keep the person safe and happy. Some tools that can help are pictures, simple words, or step-by-step instructions. Asking a friend or family member for help can also be useful.

Can the Court of Protection take away a Deputy?

The Court of Protection can take away a Deputy. A Deputy is someone who helps make decisions for a person who can’t do it themselves. If the Court thinks the Deputy is not doing a good job, they can choose a new Deputy.

If you have trouble understanding this, you might ask someone to explain it, like a family member, friend, or a teacher. You can also use tools like text-to-speech to hear the words out loud, which might help you understand better.

Can the Court of Protection help with urgent decisions?

Sometimes, we need to make a quick decision to help someone. The Court of Protection is a special place that can help with these decisions.

If someone cannot decide for themselves, the Court can make a decision for them. This is to keep them safe and make sure they get what they need.

If you need help quickly, the Court can look at your situation fast. Here are some things that might help:

• Ask someone you trust to help explain what is happening.
• Use pictures or drawings to understand better.
• Talk to people who can help, like family or a social worker.

What is a Lasting Power of Attorney?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is a legal paper. It lets someone you trust make decisions for you. This is important if you cannot make decisions yourself.

There are two types of LPA:

• One for your money and things you own.
• One for your health and care.

You can get help from a grown-up, like a parent or carer, to fill out the forms. It's good to talk to someone you trust when making an LPA.

What is the difference between a Lasting Power of Attorney and a Deputyship Order?

A Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) is when someone you trust helps you make decisions about your money or health. You choose this person.

A Deputyship Order is when a court chooses someone to help if you cannot make decisions, and you did not already choose someone.

Helpful Tips:

• Ask someone to explain the words you don’t understand.
• Use pictures or drawings to show what is happening.
• Talk to a friend or family member to help you.

What if people don't agree with a decision made by the Court of Protection?

Sometimes, people might not agree with what the Court of Protection decides. If this happens, they can ask for help or talk to someone about it. Here are some ways to do that:

• You can talk to a lawyer. A lawyer is someone who knows a lot about the law and can help explain what you can do next.
• You can ask for a meeting to talk about why you disagree. This is called a "review." It gives you a chance to say what you think.
• Using pictures or simple words can help you understand better. This is called "supportive tools."

It's important to ask for help if you don't understand or if you think the decision is wrong. There are people who can help explain things to you.

Can anyone go to Court of Protection meetings?

What costs are there when asking the Court of Protection for help?