Rachel Davies

Neglect of people with intellectual disabilities: a failure to act?

Evidence from numerous studies strongly suggests that many people with intellectual disabilities have greater health needs and also have restricted access to health care compared to the general population. Given this evidence and that this has existed for some time, when does failure to act on this knowledge constitute a form of abuse? The motivation for this article emerged from both observations made during a wider study on abuse policies and practice and a growing awareness that abuse literature is not fully engaged with a broader definition of neglect. This article considers these issues with reference to the wider context of duties of care, freedom of choice and the attitudes of staff that shape responses to abuse. Practitioners are challenged to consider what can be done to overcome neglect with specific reference to the neglect of health needs.

Self‐harm by people with learning difficulties: something to be expected or investigated?1

A review of the literature exploring self‐harm highlights variations in the way it is understood. A marked difference in approach appears to relate to the presence of a learning difficulty in the person utilizing self‐harm. Linkage with abuse has been given credence as one possible explanation for self‐harming behaviour in the general population and yet has received little consideration within literature regarding people with learning difficulties. This paper proposes that it is oppression and abuse which provide the context in which self‐harm is used by many people with learning difficulties. Continually ignoring the ‘message’ in self‐harm is to further traumatize individuals. Therefore a challenge is posed to look beyond existing responses to the use of self‐harm by people with learning difficulties.

Evidencing good practice in adult protection: informing the protection of people with learning disabilities from abuse

The importance and challenges in providing a good practice evidence base for adult protection are outlined. The literature search, review and mapping exercise that formed part of the Abuse of Adults with Learning Disabilities: Policy, Practice and Educational Implications in Wales research study is detailed. The article presents examples from this evidence mapping exercise and considers the importance of adult protection research to the future development of policy and practice.

Responding to the abuse of people with learning disabilities: the role of the police

The abuse of people with learning disabilities is a significant problem. The response of the police to abuse that is actually a criminal offence is paramount. This paper reports on a qualitative study into the attitudes and opinions of police officers involved in abuse investigations. The aims were to understand more about the perceptions that police have about their role, the contribution made by the police to the area and to identify good practice where it occurs. Semistructured interviews and focus groups were conducted with police officers regarding their experiences of involvement in vulnerable adult protection and views on the role of the police. Findings are presented according to key themes: structure for abuse work, joint investigator training, understanding the needs of people with learning disabilities, the legislative context for abuse work and sharing good practice and striving for a consistent response. Demand is growing for the police to respond to the abuse of people with learning disabilities in a way that is both appropriate and maximises the likelihood of victims receiving justice.