Latest news with #learningdisabilities
BBC News
17 hours ago
- Health
- BBC News
Plans for additional needs care centre in Leicester approved
Plans for a three-storey care centre for adults and children with additional needs have been given the go City Council has approved proposals from Supported Living Properties Ltd to construct two buildings where the former Mauricare Residential Home once stood in Fosse Road Central, said the centre would provide care for those with learning disabilities, autism, and social, emotional, and mental health to planning documents, the proposed development would comprise of 10 apartments, and each occupant would receive 24-hour specialist care. The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) previously said planning permission had been twice granted by Leicester City Council for similar schemes on the land – once in November 2020 and then again in January latest scheme for the new care centre is the same as that given approval in 2022 in terms of the size of the to plans, the developer has reworked proposals to include fewer apartments, and the latest proposal would see 10 two-bed flats built, instead of 22 studio flats which were previously approved. While the flats would each have two beds, the developer added there would only be one resident in said the second bedroom would be used as sensory rooms and sleeping spaces for visiting family would also be several areas of green space for residents to use, according to planning reporting by Hannah Richardson, Local Democracy Reporter.
Irish Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong by Stephen Unwin – Too much piousness, not enough pragmatism
Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong Author : Stephen Unwin ISBN-13 : 978-1-035-42473-3 Publisher : Wildfire Guideline Price : £25 In Beautiful Lives, Stephen Unwin sets out to offer a historical overview of the treatment of those with learning disabilities in the West, along with new ways of approaching them today. His reason for this study is his son, Joey, to whom the book is dedicated. His conclusion appears to be (yet also isn't, since every possible argument therein is quickly negated by every other possible argument – here is a writer keen to avoid backlash), that we need to re-evaluate our equation of worth with intellectual ability, so as to better appreciate the qualities embodied in many of disabled people; namely, a capacity for joy, pleasure in small things, affection and so forth. Inevitably, there are enormous practical and moral difficulties involved in this. For one thing, who will perform surgeries if we don't value intellectual ability? Secondly, how demeaning for those with learning disabilities, to value them only in relation to ourselves, and for the same qualities we seek in our pets. But let's talk about the good. The early sections, which discuss the history of learning disabilities, especially Unwin's focus on the etymology of language surrounding various conditions, is truly fascinating and worth reading. READ MORE It's when Unwin lets his own voice push through that the whole thing gets into serious trouble. This book is clearly (as can be discerned from the plethora of celebrity quotes, declaiming it 'beautiful', 'heart-rending', 'wise', 'superb' and so on) a noble endeavour, one whose intention is to offer insight into a minority who often get overlooked. So far, so admirable. Yet it's (among other things) Unwin's supreme awareness of his own nobility in writing such a book that so ineluctably ensures its failure. Even long before he starts quoting his own tweets and recounting their reception ('almost 90,000 'likes' and 2,000 'retweets' and was, for a moment, 'trending''), Unwin's pious tone summons, more than anything, David Brent playing guitar. Never, surely, has a published book featured more sentences starting with the word 'Tragically'. What a shame. Perhaps, if he'd spent less time on Twitter, he wouldn't have developed that platform's unfortunate tic of needing to be, first and foremost, liked, and could instead have written a book less blandly balanced and faux-humble. I'd have liked fewer cliches and righteous manifestos, and more practical understanding.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Coroner criticises care home bosses for leaving 18-year-old girl at the mercy of necrophilia-obsessed teen who strangled her to death
A coroner has criticised care home bosses for leaving an 18-year-old girl with learning disabilities at the mercy of a necrophilia-obsessed teenager who had a history of violent attacks on women and went on to murder her. Melissa Mathieson was strangled to death by Jason Conroy, also 18, at a care home in Bristol in October 2014. Maria Voisin, the senior coroner for Avon, said there was a 'catalogue of failures' including 'reckless conduct at a senior manager level' which allowed the killing to take place despite warnings from staff and Melissa herself. The teenager was attacked by Conroy at Alexandra House, which provided residential care for adults with autism and Asperger's syndrome. Conroy, now aged 28, was jailed for life for the sexually motivated killing. Avon Coroner's Court heard how he once tried to strangle a teacher so he could abuse her and had also attempted to kill his mother. Conroy, originally from Guernsey, moved to Bristol from a boarding school in the Midlands following the incident with the teacher. The school had commissioned a report from a forensic psychologist which concluded that he posed a physical risk to others because of his sexualised behaviour. They warned the managers of Alexandra House about the risk, but this was not reflected in his care plans, which only listed basic information. The directors of the company which ran the home later pleaded guilty to a health and safety offence and were fined £125,000. Ms Voisin said the conduct of senior managers at Alexandra House in failing to understand the danger Conroy posed to others amounted to a 'gross breach of duty'. 'This I consider to be reckless conduct at senior management level,' she said. 'The support plan and risk assessment drafted by Alexandra House's senior management was not sufficient to protect Melissa. 'The risk was, and should have been obvious, to Alexandra House from the school care plan and risk assessment, the numerous meetings before Jason's placement began, the Grant report, the concerns raised by staff and the concerns raised by Melissa herself, who was frightened of him. 'Based on the evidence, it was the gross breach of Alexandra House's duty of care to Melissa that caused her death, as it allowed a known dangerous young man who was under no supervision at the time the opportunity to murder her.' In a narrative conclusion, the coroner said Miss Mathieson 'died as a result of unlawful killing caused by both the act of strangulation and also due to the acts and omissions by the home entrusted with her care'. 'The home failed Melissa in numerous ways,' she said. 'The resident who went on to strangle her, should not have been placed in the same facility as Melissa at all based on his known risks. 'The decision was wrongly made to place him in the same facility with an ineffective care plan and risk assessment, with staff that were not trained on his level of risk, and managers who failed to act when concerns were highlighted by staff and Melissa.' Support workers at the home told the inquest they did not know about his history of predatory sexual behaviour. Several staff told the hearing they would never have been alone with Conroy if they knew of the risk he posed to others, and described reporting their concerns to supervisors. Miss Mathieson, who was from Windsor, Berkshire, had been sent to Alexandra House by social services when she turned 18, having spent the previous two years in a series of different placements. In a letter written before her death, Miss Mathieson blamed social services for 'destroying' her life. Titled Social Services Have Destroyed My Life, she wrote: 'This was a terrible time for me, and I felt like I was dragged away from my home and everything I knew and being completely disrupted. 'They never took into consideration my age or the distance from my family. I was still a child, just very confused.' The letter was read to the court as part of the written evidence of Miss Mathieson's mother, Karen, who died from cancer a year after her daughter's death. Mrs Mathieson said 'the system' had failed her daughter and had also failed Conroy. 'Melissa did not have a nasty bone in her body. She was a gentle, kind and lovely girl. 'Not only has Jason Conroy ended Melissa's life, but he has also ended his own. He should have had his problems addressed a long time ago,' she said. 'The system has failed him, and it has failed Melissa. 'We question the professionals who have had the responsibility for his care, as much as we do of those who had a responsibility for Melissa's care.' Miss Mathieson's father, James, said he felt 'helpless' because he and his wife had not been listened to by social services. 'Karen and I blame Jason Conroy for our daughter's death,' he said. 'But at the same time, how can we blame him when he had said what he was going to do to professionals and was allowed to carry it out. 'We blame the people who put him there with Melissa.' Her mother previously told the court: 'As parents of two autistic children, we did not find Melissa's behaviour more challenging as she got older. 'The problem for us was the involvement (of) social services... who we just found to be impossible. 'They did not seem to realise that Melissa loved the attention she got from people in authority and would often play them to get what she wanted. 'However, from the age of about 16, we felt that we no longer had a voice. 'Social services were putting ideas in her head about living away from home, and ultimately, it was this that put Melissa in danger.'
Yahoo
18-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
On this day: Great Horton's Francis House reopens as children's home
On this day in 2015, the Telegraph and Argus reported that a newly refurbished children's home had opened in Bradford to support young people with learning disabilities. The facility, Francis House, on Hollybank Road in Great Horton, was reopened by Christian charity Catholic Care after nine months and £70,000 worth of renovation, marking the first children's home opened by the charity "for around 20 years." Carol Hill, director of Catholic Care, said at the original time of reporting in 2015: "We have had the home since the 1970s, but we've given it a new lease of life as there was a great need for a service for children with learning disabilities, particularly those with autism." The home was to cater for "up to six children, aged six to 17" with some form of learning difficulty, such as autism. The refurbished facility included bedrooms, a playroom, a chill-out room, and an enclosed garden with trampolines, slides, and a splash pool. Then-Lord Mayor of Bradford, councillor Joanne Dodds, officially opened the home on July 17, 2015. More information about Catholic Care is available at
BBC News
16-07-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Northampton care provider for adults put in special measures
A provider of personal care for people with learning disabilities and autism has been placed in special measure by Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated Social Care Solutions Limited (Northampton) as inadequate following an inspection in CQC found some people in the service's care were at risk of pressure ulcers and staff did not support people to keep their homes safe and Care Solutions Limited said it accepted the findings of the report and was "sorry that these services have fallen below the high-quality standards we expect". The company provides a supported-living service, assisting people in their homes where they have their own tenancy of its service users have a physical disability or sensory impairment, the CQC CQC said the service supported 19 people with personal care across eight supported-living schemes at the time of the previously served a warning notice on the service in May for failing to meet the regulations related to good CQC's inspectors found five breaches of regulation related to dignity and respect, safe care and treatment, good management, staffing, and fit and proper persons employed. It issued a warning notice in relation to good management, and has told the service to submit an action plan showing what action it will be taking in response to these concerns. 'Simply unacceptable' Craig Howarth, the CQC deputy director of operations in Northamptonshire, said: "Although people were generally happy with the care they received, we found it wasn't safe and failed to meet expected standards."Staff didn't report all incidents, preventing thorough investigations to identify learning opportunities and improvements."He added the CQC would "monitor the service closely to make sure they improve and keep people safe".Mike Reader, the Labour MP for Northampton South, said: "This is a shocking failure. Vulnerable people in Northampton have been badly let down by this private sector supplier."He said the "inadequate" rating was "simply unacceptable".A spokesperson for Social Care Solutions Limited said: "We have taken swift action to address the concerns raised in the CQC report, including changes in leadership and retraining staff at the service to embed and ensure lasting improvement."We are committed to continually improving and, where we fall short, we act decisively to make it right." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
