Page 3 - Community Living Magazine 34-1

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Covid-19 limits on liberty give a

ISSN 0951-9815
Volume 34, no 1, autumn 2020 small taste of institutional life

Published by
CL Initiatives Ltd eople with learning disabilities and their allies have been engaged for some years in
No 6 The Square a serious struggle to abolish inhumane treatment and long-term incarceration in
Waterhouse Green Passessment and treatment units. The long-standing pattern of abuse, scandal, ruined
Whittle-le-Woods, Chorley
Lancashire PR6 7LF lives and inhumanity that continually taints these institutions – whether run by private
Tel 0125 727 0430 organisations, charities or the NHS – is only too well known to readers of this magazine.
In this issue, we report on two positive developments after years of failure by the
Subscription enquiries
Rosemary Trustam government to end this scandal. Baroness Sheila Hollins, regarded by many as the most
Tel 0125 727 0430 reliable, effective ally of people with learning disabilities in the UK, talks about her
rosecli@btinternet.com appointment to lead a review of the most serious long-term cases (pages 18-19). This
CL Initiatives Ltd
(address as above) has already resulted in independent chairs to improve the review process and pressure
on commissioners to ensure that reviews are followed by action.
Editor The new #right2home movement shows how a coalition of campaigners, led by
Simon Jarrett
simonjarrett1@outlook.com self-advocates, is putting serious pressure on the government and the NHS to end
long-term detention and to introduce peer advocacy, improved safeguarding training
Production editor and designer and self-advocacy to end the shameful litany of abuse (pages 14-15).
Christy Lawrance
www.clcomms.com Covid-19 still dominates
our lives and it poses a
Social media editor particular threat to people Everyone has had to endure unpleasant
Rosemary Trustam
t @CommLivingmag with learning disabilities. restrictions. We have had to separate
f www.facebook.com/ These risks are related
CommunityLivingMagazine not only to the disease but from others, remain in confinement and

Research also to equitable treatment deny ourselves leisure activities. For some,
Julie Ridley in hospitals and for social
Reader in social policy and practice, University care, as well as the effects these are familiar, life-long deprivations
of Central Lancashire
of enforced isolation and
Photographer loss of some community
Seán Kelly support. Our features on connecting (page 21) and storytelling (page 24) under lockdown
www.seankellyphotos.com
show just two examples of how people are rising magnificently to these challenges.
Cartoonist/illustrator It seems we are engaging simultaneously in two serious battles. Yet perhaps the two
Robin Meader are more closely related than we may realise – consequences of the pandemic may help
robinmeaderartist@gmail.com
the public to understand the enormity of the assessment and treatment units scandal.
Legal correspondent Everyone since March has had to endure unpleasant restrictions on their lives. We
Belinda Schwehr LLM have had to separate from family and friends, hold back our basic human instinct to
Legal framework trainer and consultant
Care and Health Law engage in close physical contact with those near to us, remain in unwanted
belinda@careandhealthlaw.com confinement and deny ourselves the social and leisure activities that enrich our lives.
For most people in an open, democratic society, these are taken as fundamental rights
Publisher
Rosemary Trustam and it is a shock to lose them, even for a limited period. For a significant section of the
rosecli@btinternet.com learning-disabled community, these are all too familiar and life-long deprivations.
We need to get the message across to both the government and the public that the
Editorial Board
Jo Clare, chief executive, Three Cs restrictions we all face now should not be the permanent, default position in some
Noelle Blackman, chief executive, Respond people’s lives. We have all taken a hit on our rights to protect each other. Now we must
Jo Adshead, chief executive, Linkability all understand that no one should be expected to live their whole lives with their rights
Sue Pemberton, chief executive, Integrate
Debbie Forde, senior lecturer, School of Social ignored or trampled upon simply because they were born with a learning disability.
Work, University of Central Lancashire
Helen Atherton, lecturer in nursing, University If it’s possible, make it real
of Leeds
Sally Warren, managing director, Paradigm In this issue, Saba Salman writes about her excellent anthology Made Possible, in which
Rosemary Trustam people with learning disabilities who have achieved distinction in sport, politics, music,
Gill Levy acting, campaigning and other fields talk about their lives (pages 16-17; review, page 29).
Gabby Machell, chief executive, Westminster
Society As a further demonstration of the power of people with learning disabilities to
Lynne Tooze, independent sexual violence achieve, we have an interview with actor Tommy Jessop about his latest film (page 28).
adviser, Respond As Salman says, it is important to remember that it is not all about such grand
Isabelle Garnett
Simon Jarrett achievements, awesome as they are. For many, it is simply about living your own lives,
in your own way and overcoming the barriers that are so often put in the way.
Printed by We must all remember this – whenever we see what a person with a learning disability
Character Graphics, Taunton, has made possible, they will have had to work twice as hard as anyone else to get to
Cover: Felipe Pagani © CL Initiatives Ltd 2020 where they are and show a resilience and determination way beyond most people.
Tel 01823 279008
Registered charity no 1141176
Simon Jarrett
Company no 7530680

www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Editor Community Living Vol 34 No 1 | Autumn 2020 3