The Guardian has reported (Guardian Society 21 May – http://thesocialissue.com/author/saba-salman/) on the preventable death of Connor Sparrowhawk (nicknamed LB or Laughing Boy). Connor was placed in a small, highly staffed, specialist assessment and treatment unit for people with learning disabilities (LD). He had an epileptic seizure and, unobserved by staff, drowned in the bath. The #JusticeforLB #107days campaigns are about getting justice for Connor and changing the status of people with learning disabilities and their families within services and society.
Over 3,000 people with learning disabilities and/or autism in England are in similar units at a cost of over half a billion pounds per year. People are likely to live in these units for years, to be placed a long way from home, to be treated with major tranquilising drugs and to experience self-harm, physical assaults, restraint and seclusion. Currently, more people are being transferred into such units than are transferring out.
On the day of a House of Lords debate into the premature deaths of people with learning disabilities, we would like to highlight that support for people with learning disabilities and/or autism and their families should have four basic principles:
1) We should support people to live long, healthy, fulfilling and meaningful lives
2) A learning disability and/or autism is not a health problem. Any additional health problems should be taken seriously and we should make sure that our health services work just as well for everyone who uses them
3) We should respect, value and work closely with families and others who care about the person
4) We should make sure that commissioners and providers are using the best available evidence to make decisions.
For over 20 years we have known how to do this. We know how to provide good support for families with young children. We know how to support people’s health needs. We know how to support people, including people who are distressed, to live active, meaningful lives within their local communities without the need for specialist drugs or major tranquilisers. And we know that all of these things depend on people with learning disabilities and/or autism and their families being respected as equal citizens.
| Hannah Joanne | Adams | |
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| Isabel | Clare | Dr |
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| Christine | Clemens | |
| Isabelle | Clement | |
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| David | Congdon | |
| Alex | Cookson | Dr |
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| Ashley | Coppard | |
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| John | Craythorne | |
| Jackie | Craythorne | |
| Jane | Crittenden | |
| Lisa | Crowley | |
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| Richard | Curren | |
| Dave | Dagnan | Prof |
| Cathy | Darvell | |
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| Kate | Davis | Dr |
| Meraud | Davis | |
| Barbara | Dewar | |
| Kim | Dickinson | |
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| AM | Doherty | |
| Louise | Donaldson | |
| Eileen | Downey | |
| Richard | Drew | |
| Hannah | Driver | |
| Michelle | Dudderidge | |
| Aisling | Duffy | |
| Katie | Durkin | |
| Cath | Dyer | |
| Korinna | Eaton | Dr |
| Patience | Elliott | |
| Nell | Ellison | Dr |
| Elizabeth | Ellison | |
| Eric | Emerson | Prof |
| Duncan | Enright | |
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| Michele | Exell | |
| Chris | Fawcett | |
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| Ann | Fergusson | |
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| Christine | Fincham | |
| Janet | Finlayson | Dr |
| Stephen | Finlayson | |
| Fiona E | Fisher | |
| Alan | Fisher | |
| Marianne | Fisher | |
| Jonathan | Fisher | |
| Jo | Fitzgerald | |
| Michelle | Fleur-Coffait | Dr |
| Karen | Folder | |
| Jen | Fookes | |
| Yvonne | Foord | |
| Sheridan | Forster | |
| John | Franey | Dr |
| Pat | Frankish | Dr |
| Karin | Fuchs | Dr |
| Michael | Fullerton | |
| John | Furlong | |
| Alisha | Gainforth | |
| Lizzie | Gale | |
| Rhianon | Gale | |
| Rachel | Galvin | |
| Philip | Garner | Prof |
| Jill | Gascoigne | |
| Myrto | Gelati | |
| Alison | Giraud-Saunders | |
| Nicola | Gitsham | |
| Juliet | Goldbart | Prof |
| Anne | Goodrich | |
| Nick | Gore | Dr |
| Karen | Graham | |
| Gemma | Grant | |
| Alison | Green | |
| Gemma | Griffith | Dr |
| Richard | Grove | |
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| Ana-Maria | Guzman | |
| Christine | Hainsworth | Dr |
| Ian | Hall | |
| Chris | Hamnett | |
| Emily | Handley | Dr |
| Francesca | Hankins | |
| Gail | Hanrahan | |
| Becky | Hardiman | |
| Dougal | Hare | Dr |
| John | Harmond | |
| Oona | Harte | |
| Rose | Harwood | |
| Richard | Hastings | Prof |
| Elaine | Hatfield | |
| Chris | Hatton | Prof |
| Charlotte | Hazeldine | |
| Corrina | Hearmon | |
| Charles | Henley | |
| Lesley | Herriot | |
| Pauline | Heslop | |
| Sarah | Hesselden | |
| Laura | Higgins | |
| Derek | Hill | |
| Jenny | Hillman | |
| Jan | Hodgson | |
| Simon | Holland-Roberts | |
| Liz | Holwell | |
| Carole | Hoole | |
| Lisa | Hopkins | |
| Val | Houghton | |
| Sarah | Hounsome | |
| Joyce | Howarth | |
| Marie | Howley | |
| Richard | Huggins | |
| J. Carl | Hughes | Dr |
| Lee | Humber | Dr |
| Siobhan | Hunt | |
| Elizabeth | Hunter | |
| Danielle | Hurley-Vervoort | |
| Rachel | Hussey | Dr |
| Katherine | Ince | |
| Andrew | Jahoda | Prof |
| Neil | James | Dr |
| Chris | Jenkins | |
| Robert | Jenkins | Dr |
| Ffion | John | Dr |
| Paul | Johnston | |
| Khowla | Jomar | |
| Victoria | Jones | |
| Caroline L. | Jones | Dr |
| Edwin | Jones | Dr |
| Robert S P | Jones | Prof |
| Troy | Jones | |
| Sarah | Jones | |
| Steve | Jones | |
| George | Julian | Dr |
| B | Kambasha | |
| Graeme | Karger | |
| Tim | Keilty | |
| Hannah | Kelland | Dr |
| Susan | Kellett | |
| Áine | Kelly | |
| Susan | Kelly | |
| Sarah | Kennedy | |
| Maeve | Kenny | |
| Susan | Kernachan | |
| Joshua | Kernohan | |
| Wendy | Kerrigan | |
| Bruce | Kidd | |
| Julia | Kielty | |
| Jamie | Kirkland | Dr |
| Deborah | Kitson | |
| Rani | Klose | |
| Jayne | Knight | |
| Fiona | Knott | Dr |
| Katrina | Kurowski | |
| Christy | Laganis | |
| Pete | Langdon | Dr |
| Margaret | Larkin | |
| Peter | Larkin | Dr |
| Bella | Latham | |
| Andrew | Leach | |
| Rosie | Lee | |
| Beck | Lee-Allen | |
| Lucy | Lee-Allen | |
| Cathy | Lennon | |
| Ben | Lewis | |
| Kathy | Liddell | |
| Kirsty | Liddiard | |
| Natalie | Lindau | |
| Geoff | Lindsay | Prof |
| Chris | Lisney | |
| Julie | Lloyd | |
| Fiona | Lobban | |
| Louise | Locock | |
| Rachael | Lofthouse | |
| Marian | Long | |
| Pam | Luckock | |
| Henrik | Lynggaard | |
| Anne | MacDonald | |
| Robina | Mallett | |
| Aida | Malovic | |
| Kirstie | Mann | |
| Anna | Marriott | |
| Helen | Marron | |
| Daniel | Marsden | |
| Adelle | Marshal | |
| Briony | Martin | |
| Jessy | Martinez | |
| Xanthe | May | |
| Bernie | Mayall | |
| Clare | McCarthy | |
| Michelle | McCarthy | Dr |
| Brian | McClean | Dr |
| Jane | McConnell | |
| Damien | McCullagh | Dr |
| Sharon | McDaid | |
| Jane | McDowell | |
| Kelly | McEvoy | |
| Jill | McGarry | Dr |
| Peter | McGill | Prof |
| Erica | McInnis | Dr |
| Janice | McLaughlin | |
| Kate | McLeod | |
| Katie | McMillan | |
| Joss | Mearns | |
| Anji | Mehta | |
| David | Miland | |
| Ruth | Millar | |
| Lorraine | Millard | |
| Richard | Mills | |
| Edana | Minghella | |
| Duncan | Mitchell | Prof |
| Mira | Mohideen | |
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| Veronica | Monks | |
| Chriss | Moore | |
| Gareth | Morewood | |
| Phil | Morgan | |
| Hannah | Morgan | |
| Jo | Moriarty | |
| Neil | Morris | |
| Jenny | Morris | |
| Kathleen | Morris | Dr |
| Perry | Morrison | Dr |
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| Angharad | Mountford | |
| Fiona | Moy | |
| Iso | Mullarkey | |
| Glynis | Murphy | Prof |
| Hana | Musoh | |
| My Life | My Choice | |
| Anne | Necus | |
| Max | Neill | |
| Melvyn | Newell | |
| Katharine | Newman | |
| Ruth | Norway | |
| Audrey | O’Keefe | |
| Patrick | O’Keefe | |
| Peter | O’Keefe | |
| Steven | Oathamshaw | Dr |
| Marie | O’Boyle-Duggan | |
| Rosaleen | O’Brien | |
| John | O’Brien | |
| David | O’Driscoll | |
| Debra | Oliveri | |
| Johanna | Olli | |
| Dave | Ormerod | |
| Delia | O’Rourke | |
| Rachel | Osborne | |
| Tony | Osgood | |
| Becky | Packham | |
| Ben | Paechter | |
| Jo | Palmer | |
| Anne | Paris | |
| Lainey | Parkin | |
| Ian | Paylor | Dr |
| Katie | Peacock | |
| Lauren | Pearce-Whiteing | |
| Bernard | Pearson | |
| Anne | Pemberton | |
| Ian | Penfold | |
| Bridget | Penhale | |
| Gateshead | People | |
| Prithvi | Perepa | Dr |
| Cristina | Perez | |
| Freda Emily | Perkins | |
| Terry | Pescod | |
| Alison | Petch | |
| Katherine | Phipps | |
| Dominic | Picillo | |
| Liz | Piercy | |
| Linda | Piggott | |
| Stefania | Pilla | |
| Sam | Pinkney | |
| Kiran | Pitt | |
| Rachel | Pollard | Dr |
| Karen | Pooh | |
| Laurie | Poole | |
| Barbara | Poole | |
| Andrew | Pounce | |
| Laurie | Powis | Dr |
| Jennifer | Preston | |
| Sharon | Price | |
| Sarah | Pryce | |
| Emma | Pullar | |
| Michelle | Pyer | |
| Jo | Pyrah | |
| Tara | Quinn-Cirillo | Dr |
| Maria | Qureshi | |
| Ulla | Raisanen | |
| Vicki | Raphael | |
| Donn | Reid | |
| Jackie | Reid | |
| Bernadette | Reigar | |
| Alyson | Reive | Dr |
| Michael | Rendall | |
| Amanda | Reynolds | |
| Jenny | Rhodes | |
| Michael | Richards | |
| Lisa | Richardson | |
| Sarah | Richardson | |
| Renata L | Riha | |
| Sarah | Riley | |
| Zelah | Riley | |
| Chris | Roberts | |
| Pam | Robertson | |
| Malcolm | Robertson | |
| Janet | Robertson | |
| Ela | Robertson | |
| Andy | Robinson | |
| Eamonn | Rodohan | Dr |
| Steven | Rose | |
| Katherine | Runswick-Cole | Dr |
| Sara | Ryan | Dr |
| Travis | Ryan | |
| Claire | Ryan | |
| Nora | Ryan | |
| Susan | Sadek | |
| Sarah | Samuels | Dr |
| Kate | Sanger | |
| Precious | Sango | |
| Julie | Schwartz | |
| Katrina | Scior | Dr |
| Sophie | Scott-Harman | |
| Jan | Seamer | |
| Beverly | Seeley | |
| Marianne | Selby-Boothroyd | |
| Magda | Sereda | |
| Lucy | Series | |
| Paul | Sharpe | Dr |
| Kate | Shaw | |
| Kay | Sheldon | |
| John | Shephard | |
| Estelle | Shields | |
| Maya | Simmons | |
| Heather | Simmons | |
| Alison | Simon | Dr |
| Lee | Simpson | |
| Vicky | Singleton | Dr |
| Joanne | Skellern | |
| Diane | Skudder | |
| Lucy | Skye | |
| Maxine | Slapper | |
| Jenny | Sloneem | Dr |
| Dominic | Slowie | |
| Mandy | Smedly | |
| Russell | Smedly | |
| Eileen | Smith | |
| David | Smith | Prof |
| Claire | Smith | |
| Dianne | Soulsby | |
| PSG | Speakup | |
| Lesley | Spiers | |
| Suzette | Starmer | |
| Toby | Staveley | |
| Julie | Steel | Dr |
| Mike | Steel | |
| Frances | Steepe | |
| Biza | Stenfert Kroese | Dr |
| Jackie | Stephens | |
| Chris | Sterry | |
| Hannah | Stewart | |
| Helen M | Stone | |
| Irene | Storey | |
| Michael | Stow | |
| Jane | Street | |
| Jan | Sunman | |
| Emma | Sweeney | |
| Ertan | Taner | |
| Beth | Tarleton | |
| Alex | Tate | |
| John L | Taylor | Prof |
| Nick | Taylor | Dr |
| Alison | Telfer | |
| Alan | Tennyson | |
| Liz | Thackray | |
| kate | Theodore | Dr |
| Pauline | Thomas | |
| Paul M | Thomas | |
| Barbara | Thompson | |
| Jeanette | Thompson | |
| Amanda | Thornton | Dr |
| Sue | Thurman | |
| Ann-Charlott | Timander | |
| Stuart | Todd | Dr |
| Debbie | Tomkies | |
| Sandy | Toogood | |
| Fran | Topple | |
| Vaso | Totsika | Dr |
| Christine | Towers | |
| Sarah | Townsend | |
| Janet | Toye | |
| Lois | Tozer | |
| Pareskevi | Triantafyllopoulo | |
| Lisa | Trigg | |
| Michelle | Trollope | Dr |
| Chrissie | Trow | |
| Elizabeth | Trrescher | |
| Sue | Turner | |
| Agnes | Turnpenny | Dr |
| Richard | Tutton | Dr |
| Sally | Twist | Dr |
| Caitriona | Twomey | |
| Mandy | Twyman | |
| Claire | Tyrrell | |
| Margaret | Tyson | |
| Rachael | Vann | |
| Leah | Vanono | |
| Jo | Varela | Dr |
| Athanasios | Vostanis | |
| Jenny | Wade | |
| Proscovia | Wagaba | |
| Emily | Wailes | |
| David | Walker | |
| Denise | Walker | |
| Daniel | Walker | |
| Sarah | Walker | |
| Sam | Walker | |
| Maria | Walker | |
| Claire | Walker | |
| Lorna | Walker Bryan | |
| Elin | Walker-Jones | Dr |
| Brian | Wallace | |
| Barbara | Wallace | |
| Bryony | Wallis | Dr |
| Jan | Walmsley | Prof |
| Jools | Walters | |
| Imelda | Walton | |
| Mandy | Ware | |
| Nicholas | Watson | Prof |
| Debby | Watson | |
| Collette | Watson | |
| Georgina | Watts | |
| Simon | Whitaker | Dr |
| Sabrina | Wiffen | |
| Marie | Willan | |
| Val | Williams | |
| Sara | Wilmott | |
| Wendy | Wilson | |
| Jean | Wilson | |
| Philippa | Wilson | |
| Angie | Wilson | |
| Dawn | Wiltshire | |
| Karen | Windle | |
| Ian | Winstanley | |
| Rebecca | Wood | |
| Alicia | Wood | |
| Neil | Woodhead | |
| Georgia | Wright | |
| Brian | Wynne | Prof |
| Sue | Yabsley | |
| Paula | Youell | Dr |
| Jane | Youell | |
| Rhea | Young |
#107days 
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I add my name in support of this campaign.
I’m glad to be able to add my name in support of this campaign.
The evidence base is there and for children and young adults in the future every new education and healthcare plan and subsequent provision should recognise it.