Mental Capacity Act

The Mental Capacity Act is the statute that decides what happens when an adult cannot make certain decisions for themselves. For parents of an autistic child, it matters from the 21st birthday onward: Singapore’s guardianship framework covers a child below 21, and from then on the MCA’s instruments take over.

Its two instruments

• The LPA — made in advance by a person with capacity, appointing donees they choose.
• Deputyship — a Family Justice Courts appointment, applied for by family, when no LPA is possible.

One initialism trap worth knowing: in ADAP paperwork, “MCA report” usually means the Mental Capacity Assessment report — the psychologist’s document filed with a deputyship application — not the Act itself. Same three letters, different thing.