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out of the institution

The campaign used photos for social media memes to show what
#right2home means to people (clockwise from above): “Care
staff who understand me. My own home close to my family, who love
me, and help me live free and not scared”; “Being able to be with my
family in a home not a hospital”; “Being with my best friend””

● Day 4. It’s about what people want At the meeting, self-advocates outlined
Change the system so that people can their concerns that people continue to be
have ordinary lives and contribute to at risk of abuse because providers of
their communities secure care have too much power over
● Day 5. What can we do? Don’t forget residents, being with them day and night.
those people still locked away – don’t They welcomed NHS England requesting
forget their families. commissioners to visit secure hospitals
The five days culminated in the every six weeks (for under 18s) and eight
#right2home self-advocates meeting with weeks (for adults) but said more was
NHS England head of learning disability needed to protect those in secure units,
Ray James and his colleagues. The aim was specifically the following:
to keep the pressure on the authorities to ● Peer advocacy in addition to independent
move people from secure units into safer advocacy – it is well recognised that
environments in the community where people can relate more easily to
they can receive the right support and care. someone with lived experience like theirs
Marsh Stitchman, self-advocacy ● Safeguarding training for people in
coordinator at Lewisham Speaking Up, secure units so they understand if they
stressed the urgency of this: “These are being abused or neglected and what
places actually do people damage. They they can do about it sought her support for the #right2home
come out worse than when they went in. ● Self-advocacy training so people are pledge and she was the first MP to sign it.
People are traumatised… it just draws more confident to speak up if they are The #right2home campaign continues
people into further crisis and feeling like being abused or neglected. until, as Edwards puts it “everyone is out
they’re cut off from [others].” The #right2home self-advocates stressed in the community, living where they are
that people who have moved on from supposed to be living and not stuck in one
secure care should be involved in delivering of those institutions”.
A long story this support and training, not only because #right2home wants to link up with other
Examples of the never-ending story of their lived experience but also to help campaigners and needs your support.
of human rights abuses covered by with their own recovery and wellbeing. As Edwards explains: “Change isn’t going
Community Living to happen overnight as we all know but it
● ● Naked Injustice Leo Andrade writes Still waiting just needs drumming in more to the bigger
about her son Stephen and the After the meeting, Edwards said: “I hope bosses about what we want to see”. n
protests she led after finally securing that people will listen to us and that we ● https://right2home.uk/
his release from an assessment and get our point across in the best and most t @right2homeUK
treatment unit (winter 2020) efficient way possible.” f @ right2homeUK
● ● How Matthew got his Life Back Edwards acknowledges that �some
Isabelle Garnett relates how her important points were made”. However, at Isabelle Garnett is a parent and
family fought to get her son out of the time of writing, the self-advocates are campaigner for ‘homes not hospitals’ for
an assessment and treatment unit still waiting to find out what, if any, of their those with autism and learning disabilities
and into a new life (winter 2017) proposals NHS England will commit to.
● ● How Josh was Brought Home Phil On the same day, other #right2home References
Wills writes about the three-year self-advocates met with Lewisham MP and Joint Committee on Human Rights Report
public campaign to get his son back shadow minister for disabled people Vicky (2020) Coronavirus has left young people in
home (autumn 2016) Foxcroft to explain their concerns and detention facilities highly vulnerable to Human
recommendations for positive change. They Rights abuses. https://tinyurl.com/y7fqs9bw

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 34 No 1 | Autumn 2020 15