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institutionalisation
Fear of being ‘sent away’ Nightmares remain

Mary still features in my nightmares
and I always think of her when I walk
past the British Psychological Society
The terror of institutionalisation still hangs over Maria head office.
Since 1971, I have often had my hopes
Richardson, who recalls frightening times from childhood at raised and dashed. Many initiatives for
school and at home that cast shadows over the future people with learning difficulties have
sought to prevent their being
institutionalised – only for little to change.
n 1971, I was emptying a bin when a homework so he could go out to play. But Every debate about “bringing people
newspaper heading caught my eye. I had no idea about algebra. back home” reminds me of the optimism
II was absolutely delighted. The He stated firmly: “You’re a mental of that newspaper article and how people
white paper Better Services for the defective. You’ll be locked up and not have been let down yet again.
Mentally Handicapped had just allowed to marry and have children.”
been published. I believed both Mary and him. For the
The 22-year-old me really believed it next few years, I expected to be sent to “ You’re a mental
would signal the end of institutionalisation Harperbury (a long-stay hospital in defective. You’ll be locked
of people with learning difficulties. Hertfordshire). My heart went out to the
It was a very special moment. I thought children at my school who “vanished” – up and not allowed
it meant that children like me would I was sure I knew where they had gone. to marry and
never again be threatened with being I struggled to learn to read. It was
“sent away”. stressful and most days I came home have children
My terror of institutionalisation began in tears. ”
when my infants’ school teacher was sick. Eventually, I was referred to a
My class was taken by Mary, a teaching psychologist. After giving me lots of tests, Only today, as I write, Community Care
assistant for the “babies”. she announced to my parents: “There’s magazine published an article headed:
She had gooseberry-green eyes and nothing about this child that an intelligent “Scheme to help learning disabled people
dark brown hair, with a fringe and a teacher can’t cure.” move out of hospitals ‘floundering’, warn
ponytail. She wore a green uniform with a I will never know if I was meant to hear NHS leaders.”
black belt. this, but I suddenly felt a huge sense of But it’s not just about getting people
Mary wanted us to take turns to read out relief – although I didn’t completely out of hospitals. It’s also making sure they
loud, but I couldn’t read. She announced trust her. are not admitted unless they are ill. And,
that children who never learned to read A few days later, I told my Nan that for me and many others, it is also about
would be sent away – we would be locked I was likely to fail an arithmetic test. removing the terrifying threat of
up in a big institution. I felt sick. “Don’t worry, darling,” she said: “You’ll institutionalisation. n
My fears were soon compounded by my get married and have children.” I felt
older brother (who was no more than reassured; she was one of the few adults The name of the author has been changed
eight years old). He wanted me to do his I trusted. at her request

Don’t refuse work because that can Researcher: “What’s ‘wrong’? Not
delay you going – even if you refuse shouting?”
your work, that can delay you.” Tanya: “Not being quiet either.”
Researcher: “You’re not allowed to
Some women said they had to put up be quiet?”
with aggressive behaviour from other Tanya: “You’re not allowed to be quiet
service users to show that they were because they’ll think you’re ‘on one’
ready to move on, as this woman said: [sulking or brooding].”

“I got hit last week off [name]. And I Conclusion
just sat there and let her do it, I didn’t The study shows that women with Hannah Morgan is a senior lecturer
want to hit back and that’s why the staff learning disabilities can move on and Rebecca Fish is a researcher at
said: ‘That’s good that you didn’t hit from secure wards with the right level the Centre for Disability Research at
back.’ So that’s why they’re going to of support. Lancaster University
move me on.” However, many of the decisions about
how women move on had been made We conclude that women should be
Others mentioned having to “prove” by staff and women felt they had to asked what they want to achieve, and this
they were ready by demonstrating prove they were ‘ready’ in some way. should be central to any decision about
progress: We argue this is problematic because it moving on. n
encourages passivity and a lack of ● The views expressed here are not
Tanya: “[You move on] when you agency, including putting up with necessarily those of the Economic and
don’t do anything wrong. You have to aggressive behaviour from other Social Research Council, which funded
be happy.” service users. the research

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 32 No 4 | Summer 2019 25