The Party
In 2016 BBC South East Today broadcast a story about a vodka-fuelled “party” involving four members of staff, one of whom danced naked around a severely disabled man in their care. The party was held at a residence for young people with learning disabilities and autism.
Despite a complaint being made by the mother of the young man to Kent Police about the way the investigation was handled, no charges were brought against the four people involved as it was judged no harm had been done to the severely disabled man. To quote the police officer who carried out the investigation “….. is deaf/blind so would not be fully aware of what was going on in the room”.
Unfortunately, this shocking incident was just the tip of the iceberg and as for the promise of action to improve the quality of care and safety of people with learning disabilities and autism, nothing appears to have changed. But maybe the first step is to change people’s attitude.
