I think (know) that we have said this before: They do things differently in the Netherlands (and usually it seems for the better). According to this recent article in the Guardian the first doctor specialising in profound and multiple learning disabilities is due to be appointed in the UK later this year, following a Dutch […]

I have just been alerted by Rescare trustees to a post on the Special Needs Jungle forum entitled ‘The emotional impact of parenting a disabled child’. The article cites especially the resources available on the website Affintyhub.uk , created by Jo Griffin, a Counselling Psychologist and a parent carer. Here, when faced with (sadly typical) […]

Two debates this week in Parliament focused on the crisis in Special Education provision. One particular focus was on the financial strains that  a dysfunctional system is imposing on both local authorities and parents, whilst simultaneously setting them up against each other  via a failing assessment and appeals processes. Another issue considered was the (rising) […]

Warning this is a bit complicated! “The dividing line between the use of the MHA and the MCA DOLS is fiendishly complicated (a senior judge described it as like putting your head inside a washing machine and spin dryer)”.  Lucy Series (legal expert, academic and blogger) has just published a thorough but informative blog article […]

We have previously cited and endorsed journalist Ian Birrell’s scathing articles on the treatment of children and adults with autism and learning disabilities in ‘secure hospital facilities’ i.e. Assessment and Treatment Units (ATUs).  Ian has now reacted angrily to Health Secretary Matt Hancock’s commissioning of an ‘investigation’ by the CQC  (“yet another review”) Please now […]

Following the publication of the Care Quality Commission’s “Thematic Review of Restrictive Practices, Seclusion and Segregation”, Minister Caroline Dinenage has now issued a written statement on behalf of Department of Health and Social Care. She begins with the following statements: “The Government has made improving the care and treatment of autistic people and people with […]

“First of its kind autism centre aims to dramatically cut diagnosis waiting time” This is the headline today on Sky News introducing an article on the opening of an autism diagnosis centre in Keele, Staffordshire. The headline above an article in the ‘i’ newspaper (sorry, I can’t find it online) reads “Children’s Centre will end […]

The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), having initially launched a wider inquiry into the detention of young people, is now conducting two separate, more focused, and inter-related inquiries into the detention of people with learning disabilities and or autism in mental health and NHS inpatient facilities. To quote  the JCHR website: “As a […]

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has just published ‘The State of Care 2017/18‘, its annual assessment of health and social care in England. The report ‘looks at the trends, shares examples of good and outstanding care, and highlights where care needs to improve’. You can find links to the report, plus a summary and an […]

Further to our feature article on Learning Disability, Health and Obesity , and specifically our  reporting on Public Health England events in August and October.  Speakers from Public Health England (PHE) were keen to emphasise that people with learning disabilities and/or autism should be able to access those services from the NHS to which they […]