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Human rights and social wrongs: issues in safeguarding adults with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- FYSON Rachel, KITSON Deborah
- Journal article citation:
- Practice: Social Work in Action, 22(5), December 2010, pp.309-320.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
From a human rights perspective, this article explores the levels of abuse and bullying of adults with learning disabilities in the UK. It quotes statistics from a decade of reports from Leonard Cheshire Disability, Mind, the Disability Rights Commission and Capability Scotland and Mencap and reproduces Articles 3 and 8 from the European Convention on Human Rights, active in the UK since 1998. In two sections addressing human rights, adult safeguarding and service responses, the size of the challenge is illustrated through a large, but not exhaustive, nationwide listing of murders and manslaughters of people with learning disabilities, between 2005 and 2010. The authors call these the ultimate consequence of society’s collective failure to uphold human rights of people with learning disabilities and claim three commonalities underpinning practice. Firstly, the promotion of independence and choice without adequate consideration of safeguarding; placement without regard for community dynamics; and the roles loneliness, companionship needs and social isolation, play in vulnerable adults likelihood of abuse, particularly in those with milder learning disabilities and lower support needs.
Intellectual disabilities, violent conflict and humanitarian assistance: advocacy of the forgotten
- Author:
- ROHWERDERA Brigitte
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 28(6), 2013, pp.770-783.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This article examines the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities in violent conflict who have been neglected in practice and academia. Such invisibility, combined with the disabling impact of society, their low priority, and the nature of their impairments, results in a disproportionately negative impact of conflict on people with intellectual disabilities. Drawing on a wide range of sources, including humanitarian workers, this article examines their experiences and analyses how much consideration has been given to people with intellectual disabilities in humanitarian assistance policy and practice in light of their increased need and vulnerability. Lack of awareness and recognition of their diverse experiences can result in their needs failing to be adequately met, which compounds their disproportionately negative experience of conflict. It is important to finally start paying attention in order to ensure their inclusion in humanitarian responses. (Publisher abstract)
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in people with learning disabilities - a philosophical perspective
- Author:
- PICKARD Max
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, 3(1), March 2009, pp.18-22.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) are due to be implemented imminently. This legislation serves as an extension of the Mental Capacity Act designed to close the ‘Bournewood Gap’ and is of particular relevance to learning disability services. This article discusses the DoLS from a legal, philosophical and ethical perspective.
The understanding that care staff bring to abuse
- Author:
- PARLEY Fiona
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Adult Protection, 12(1), February 2010, pp.13-26.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This research study investigated care staff views relating to vulnerability and abuse of adults with learning difficulties. In the qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were used with a sample of 20 care staff working across the statutory and the independent care sector. The findings indicated that there is a lack of clarity regarding what constitutes abuse. Almost all respondents named sexual abuse and physical abuse, fewer named verbal abuse or psychological/emotional abuse and still fewer named financial abuse or neglect. No one spontaneously mentioned human rights infringement. Prompts regarding bullying and harassment elicited very variable responses. In particular there was a feeling that people with learning disabilities will never be free of bullying and harassment. Power, authority and control were all used by respondents to describe the need to have the ability to manage challenging situations. It was evident that unqualified staff in particular had observed behaviour that they considered abusive, yet they did not feel that they could speak out against it. The author concludes that further investigation relating to rights infringement, neglect, bullying and harassment is warranted in order that greater awareness may lead to improved safety for these vulnerable adults.
Good practice in citizen advocacy: guidelines on good practice in citizen advocacy; case studies of affiliation among advocacy groups; guidelines for recognition of citizen advocates
- Author:
- BROOKE John
- Publisher:
- British Institute of Learning Disabilities
- Publication year:
- 2002
- Pagination:
- 114p.,bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- Kidderminster
Citizen advocacy is a partnership between two people. Usually one of these is a vulnerable person, who is at risk of being ignored or not listened to. The other is an ordinary citizen who is willing to speak up for the other partner's choices and decisions. Citizen advocacy is not only for people with learning disabilities, or those with communication problems. Many vulnerable people can benefit greatly from standing side by side with a citizen advocate. Citizen advocacy is linked to active citizenship and to the defence of human rights. This can benefit the advocate, the wider community and the advocacy user.