23. A small sample from a report to be published shortly.
Professional assessments of 6 provide some stark and illuminating information about patterns of
institutionalisation. 5 of the group are women and their ages ranged from 28 to 56. The average
length of time spent in institutions was 19 years, with 3 of the group having spent more than half
of their lives in institutions.
People entered the institutions at a very young age, ranging from 14 to 20. Institutionalised
placements last on average just less than 2 years. On average each person had been in 10
different institutional settings, including:
• Residential schools (n=3)
• Acute hospitals (n=3)
• Residential colleges (n=1)
• Low secure hospitals (n=6)
• Specialist facilities (n=6)
• Residential homes (n=5)
All six had been victims of abuse, including:
• Neglect (n=2)
• Sexual abuse (n=6)
• Physical abuse (n=5)
• Financial abuse (n=1)
24.
25. In 2010 there were about 11,000 people with learning
disabilities placed in out of area placements.
Typical cost was about £160,000 per person, which is just
under £2 billion.
In 1968 there were 65,000 people with learning
disabilities in institutions at a total cost of less £2 billion.
We have failed to close the institutions - 1 person in 6 are
still living in them - but now they are private institutions.
We now spend the same money as we did, but on just a
sixth of the same people.
28. Institutions are very unsafe
1.Devalued lives - self-expression and personal development
threaten institutional thinking
2.No freedom or control - it is very hard to be heard when you
have no authority
3.Impoverishment - economic power is nullified
4.Sheltered, but homeless - a home is more than a roof - vital
to control privacy and security
5.‘Care’ not support - ‘care’ already assumes the passivity and
lower value of the person ‘in care’.
6.Disconnected- it is other citizens who report abuse and it is
structures of power within institutions that make that harder
7.Loveless - the shift to focusing on abuse not crime is a
symptom of institutional thinking
29. Citizenship is vital to safety
1. Direction - Its risky if my life lacks meaning and value
2. Freedom - Its risky if I cannot direct my life, communicate or
be listened to.
3. Money - Its risky if I lack money or if I cannot control my own
money.
4. Home - Its risky if I cannot control who I live with, my home
and my privacy.
5. Help - Its risky if I’ve no one to help me and if I cannot control
who helps me.
6. Life - Its risky if I am not a valued member of my community.
7. Love - Its risky to have no friends or family.
36. 1. Human rights - not just services
2. Clear entitlements - not confusion
3. Early support - not crisis
4. Equal access - not institutional care
5. Choice & control - not dependence
6. Fair incomes - not insecurity
7. Fair taxes - not injustice
8. Sustainability - local growth