Madam, – The statement that not all institutions are the same (Carl O’Brien, Invisible Lives, Features, February 3rd) reads as a defence of the indefensible. Despite our efforts, the presence of psychologists, speech and language therapists, social workers, nurses and doctors has singularly failed to stem systemic dehumanising practices in large residential settings and group homes for people with intellectual disabilities.
In 2003, I wrote an evaluation of the large residential centre run by the Brothers of Charity at Kilcornan in Clarinbridge, and identified loss of opportunity, lack of active support, loss of freedom, restrictions, fear of assaults by other residents, denial of basic rights, and the impoverishment of quality of life of it residents. A similar report in 1983 had come to the same conclusions. The institution remains open.
In the wake of the Ryan report, can we seriously afford to envisage a future in institutions for our most vulnerable citizens, with the peculiar logic of Catholic charity in the place of regulation and human rights? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I would like to commend your newspaper for yet again highlighting the State’s neglect of people with intellectual disabilities (Carl O’Brien’s reports and Editorial, February 2nd and 3rd). Unfortunately, these dark headlines will contribute to increase the anxiety and despair among parents of young children with special needs who struggle to cope with their day-to-day lives, trying to avoid worrying about what lies ahead.
I followed 18 Irish mothers of children with autism, Down syndrome and ADHD for a year as part of my doctoral research in UCC (published in 2007). They had given up their own lives in their efforts to secure the best educational support possible for their children. The ultimate goal with this unrecognised and unpaid maternal work was to enable these children to reach their potential in life. Ultimately these mothers all stated that their children would never end up in institutions like generations of people with disabilities before them.
My thoughts go to these mothers today, nearly 10 years later. Back then, their children were still in primary education, the mothers were relatively young and healthy and well capable of negotiating with professionals and service providers. But as the years go on, and as the State’s attitude to service provision for people with disabilities remains the same, there is very little hope.
These children are now entering adulthood and some of them will, despite their mothers’ enormous efforts, be in need of constant support for the rest of their lives. We need to be able to guarantee these mothers that they do not have to worry about their children after they are gone. We need to prove to them that they can trust society to take over the care of their now grown up children and that this care will be provided within a framework of human rights. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Further to your exposé by Carl O’Brien on the abuse of people with an intellectual disability (and previous reports), it is our contention that the Hiqa inspections and standards for residential services for people with an intellectual disability be implemented immediately, no matter what the cost. Lack of funding on this issue is no excuse. We cannot sit back and allow any further abuse of people in this most vulnerable sector to continue. The greatest sin of all is that we do nothing and allow this Government to do nothing. If we do we should all hang our heads in shame.
EAMONN TIERNEY,
Chairman,
St Joseph’s Association for the
Intellectually Disabled,
Ard Na Greine,
Dublin 13.
Madam, – The consultative report Making Choice and Control a Reality for Disabled People, published by the Office of Disability Issues in the UK, states “lack of choice and control is a key barrier to participating and contributing as equal citizens. The Government wants to shift the balance of power from the State to the individual; assisting disabled people to achieve better outcomes from the supports and services they currently receive.”
By contrast it seems the policy of the Irish Government is to shift the balance of power from the State to the service providers. Direct payments encourage new models of service provision to develop which would otherwise find it difficult to emerge. Direct payments give disabled people the “choice and control” which all commentators now agree are central in supporting us to live full and meaningful lives. Direct payments are only a means to an end and while they are not the full solution they must certainly form part of it.
DAVID EGAN,
Cornamaddy,
Athlone,
Co Westmeath.
Madam, – Carl O’Brien’s article (Invisible Lives, Features, February 2nd) raises questions about how we protect people with a disability from abuse or address concerns. The research literature regarding people with a disability clearly indicates they are vulnerable to abuse from family members, care staff and other service users.
In Ireland, abuse cases tend to be investigated by the service providers themselves. In the UK, where I am based, things are done differently. This is due to an adult social care structure within the local council structures. All cases of reported abuse are investigated and managed by the social work teams attached to these adult social care departments. Documents such as No Secrets, the UK’s mental capacity legislation and clear Protection of Vulnerable Adult policy, ensure greater transparency around how issues of abuse should be handled on a statutory basis.
Ireland is making strides to ensure vulnerable adults in various settings – the home, community and residential care – are supported and protected. The demand for care inspections will only address the issue superficially.
From my own experience, all the inspections will tell us is that these units or service providers have in place various policies around reporting abuse, or that the providers offer a standard of care that has a rating attached to it. To radically address the issue of abuse of people with a disability in care homes, community services and in the family, key legislation, local government adult social care structures and mental capacity legislation, all need to be in place.
This should ensure people with a disability can report incidents of abuse to local authorities and agencies, who are based outside of the person’s care service providers. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The articles highlight once again the unfair treatment meted out to the most vulnerable in society.
It is shameful in the Ireland of today that you can have services that are funded by the State to support thousands of adults and children, operating uninspected and unregulated by the State or any other independent system.
Minister of State for Disability John Moloney has previously stated that care standards would be brought in on a voluntary basis. The HSE has stated that it has a robust complaints procedure and that in new care contracts or service level agreements it will make it a condition that service providers comply with the new Hiqa residential standards.
However, until there is an independent inspection system or proper regulation then the treatment of people in these institutions will go unnoticed.
PwDI calls on the Minister and the HSE to introduce without delay an independent inspection system and mandatory care standards to ensure that the services provided to those residing in these institutions will in future be regulated and inspected to the highest international standards. – Yours, etc,