Will Whitaker, solicitor in our Public Law team, comments on the BBC’s article regarding the poor treatment of young people with autism or learning disabilities in specialist and residential care.

Will comments:

The mental health and social care system has been failing young people across the country for far too long. The Government needs to listen to the families giving evidence to the Health and Social Care Committee, and make sure that there is real and meaningful change so that access to the right care and treatment is available for the people that need it. Urgent action is needed – we cannot wait for another tragedy to happen before something changes. 

Far too many children with autism or learning disabilities are detained in hospitals and secure units where the use of restraint and seclusion can be high and can cause lasting trauma. Often we are told that there is ‘no other option’, which is simply not right – there needs to be a commitment to funding full and adequate care for those individuals outside of hospital and in their homes.

For more information on this topic, please email Will Whitaker.