Far less than they deserve

On 22 May I joined many other people in watching a Panorama programme exposing the cruel and callous treatment of staff towards people with learning disabilities and autism in their care at the now infamous Whorlton Hall. This programme came after an eight year period of reform in this area, including the Transforming Care Programme, following a similar Panorama programme that exposed shocking abuse at Winterbourne View. It seems that some of the issues endemic in the sector remain the same despite almost herculean efforts to tackle them.

May also saw the publication of the Children's Commissioner's report Far less than they deserve. The report focuses on the experiences of children and young people with learning disabilities and autism receiving treatment in mental health hospitals and found that at the time of the research there were 250 children receiving hospital care. Whilst the report did find evidence of good practice, many of the children and young people spoke of "traumatic" experiences during their care as well as high levels of restraint. Many were placed a long distance away from their families, and some described experiences of seclusion in dark, bare rooms.