My son is able to make some decisions for himself, but I know as a Mum that he doesn’t fully understand more complicated decisions. He can decide what he wants to wear and to eat. He likes to make choices and decisions around what activities to do. He does understand about some of his medication, such as paracetamol, and that it helps if he has pain. I don’t feel that he understands his condition and what the more complicated medications are for, or what would happen if he didn’t take them. I also don’t think he understands why he has short breaks away from home. I am his main carer and it allows me to have a break and carry on with his care. Because my son verbalises, carers found it difficult to know whether he had capacity to make certain decisions. A Deprivation of Liberty Safeguard authorisation was applied for. He was seen by a best interest assessor, and by a psychiatrist. Although this seemed a bit daunting at first it helped in the long run as everyone was clear about the sort of decisions he could make, and that the place that he was going to for short breaks was the one best suited to his needs.
