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Surge in applications to national deprivation of liberty court

2 mins read Social Care Health
There were more than 200 applications involving children to the national deprivation of liberty (DoL) court in its first two months of operation, latest data from the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory shows.
The national DoL Court is based at the Royal Courts of Justice. Photo: Phil Adams
The national DoL Court is based at the Royal Courts of Justice. Photo: Phil Adams

The figures, published in a briefing by the Observatory, reveal that 237 applications were made by local authorities and NHS trusts to the national DoL Court in July and August. That is around 40 per cent of the 579 total for the previous year, and more than double the total in 2018 (108). 

DoL applications are made to “authorise a residential placement of a young person in circumstances where their liberty may be restricted”.

The new court was launched in July by Sir Andrew McFarlane, president of the Family Division, in response to an increase in deprivation of liberty applications involving children since 2018.

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