Too many people with a learning disability or autism are being detained inappropriately

Brandon welcomes the recommendations to end the inappropriate long-term detention of people with learning disabilities or autism in the report from the Joint Committee on the Government’s Draft Mental Health Bill.

Too many people with a learning disability or autism are being detained inappropriately in inpatient mental health facilities, predominantly due to a lack of alternative support in the community.

Such settings lead to increased distress, thus in turn, increasing more restrictive practice, leading to long-term isolation with little meaningful societal interaction.

We welcome the changes, especially to the Section 3 detention criteria, but hold caution that the ‘community alternatives’ promised by Government need to be in place to support individualised therapeutic interventions.

Tanya Abbott
Chief Operating and Compliance Officer