Understanding and respecting an individual’s ability to make decisions about their own life is at the heart of dignity, independence, and empowerment. For people with autism and complex needs, this is especially important. The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) 2005 plays a crucial role in ensuring that individuals who may struggle with decision-making due to disabilities are supported in a way that preserves their rights, autonomy, and well-being.
The Mental Capacity Act is a significant piece of legislation that not only safeguards individuals’ rights, but also provides a framework that enables them to make their own decisions wherever possible. From healthcare decisions to personal care and financial management, the MCA offers protection, ensures accountability, and empowers individuals to take control of their own lives.
At Bright Futures, we support over 67 individuals who are aged 16+ (the age of which the legislation assumes full legal capacity) and have been supporting adults with autism and complex needs to live a fulfilling life since our first adults home opened in 2010. Our unwavering commitment to the people we support means that everything we do is to support and empower individuals to make their own decisions.
To shine a light on the importance of the MCA and its impact on our daily practice, we’ve been upskilling our teams across Bright Futures. Providing workshops, delivering training, and sharing resources, our aim is to ensure that people have the confidence and tools to encourage independence and empower decision making – whatever life throws at the people we support. For those who face challenges in communication or understanding, it’s about discovering practical steps to support them to have their say.
Riverside, one of our Adult homes based in Warrington, has gone above and beyond in developing creative ways to bring this important piece of legislation to life for both their colleagues and the people they support. Working in partnership with Warrington Speak Up, Riverside have delivered interactive workshops and focus groups to give our care teams an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Mental Capacity Act’s principles and how they apply day-to-day.
To make learning more enjoyable and inclusive for our workforce, they incorporated a mixture of quizzes and competitions that challenged our team’s knowledge and understanding – whilst also making it fun and interactive.
These great initiatives aim to ensure that all teams are well-informed, fostering a supportive environment where every individual’s rights and dignity are respected. With a strong focus on choice and empowerment for each individual, the Riverside team also appropriately supports the adults in making ‘unwise’ decisions if they wish to do so. Supported by our internal Specialist Support Team, this promotes independence and autonomy that puts the people they support at the heart of everything they do.
Want to find out more about the Mental Capacity Act – we’ve linked some additional resources below:
