Connor Sparrowhawk: no risk assessments before teenager’s death, tribunal finds – The Guardian

‘A senior psychiatrist failed to carry out any risk assessments on an epileptic teenager before he had a seizure and drowned in a bath, a medical tribunal has found.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 21st August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK judges rule DWP wrong to deny appeals over refused benefits – The Guardian

‘The Department for Work and Pensions has been unlawfully stopping people going to tribunal to appeal against decisions to refuse them benefits, three senior judges have ruled.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 4th August 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Dozens of leading charities face insolvency after Government demands back pay for night-time carers – The Independent

‘Dozens of leading charities could face insolvency within weeks after the Government ruled they must pay millions of pounds in back payments to overnight carers.’

Full Story

The Independent, 19th July 2017

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Golf firm boss jailed for manslaughter over ball collector’s lake death – The Guardian

‘A golf company director has been jailed over the manslaughter of a man with learning difficulties who drowned as he dived for lost balls in a cold, murky course lake.’

Full Story

The Guardian, 10th July 2017

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge quashes Care Act assessment and decision to terminate placement – Local Government Lawyer

‘A Deputy High Court judge has quashed a London borough’s Care Act assessment for a man with autism spectrum disorder and severe learning difficulties.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 7th July 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Muslim man with learning difficulties need not fast or be shaved during Ramadan – Local Government Lawyer

Posted June 16th, 2017 in Court of Protection, disabled persons, Islam, learning difficulties, news by tracey

‘A muslim man with severe learning difficulties need not observe the Ramadan fast or be shaved in accordance with religious practice, a Court of Protection judge has ruled.’

Full Story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th June 2017

Source: localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Law Society launches mental capacity accreditation for Court of Protection – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Law Society has launched a new mental capacity accreditation for legal representatives serving the Court of Protection.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty: Law Commission Report Summary – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘Thousands of vulnerable people with dementia and learning disabilities are being detained in hospitals and care homes without the appropriate checks, due to a law unfit for purpose according to the Law Commission.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 13th March 2017

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Essex agrees payouts, review of foster care placement terminations after LGO report – Local Government Lawyer

‘Essex County Council social workers moved a vulnerable teenager from her aunt and uncle’s care without warning, and then failed to follow the statutory children’s complaints process, the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) has said.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 15th March 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/

People with dementia ‘failed’ by deprivation of liberty law – BBC News

‘People with dementia and learning difficulties are being detained in care without checks due to a ‘failing’ law, the Law Commission has said.’

Full story

BBC News, 13th March 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Two jailed for ‘brutal’ killing of man with learning difficulties – BBC News

Posted February 21st, 2017 in learning difficulties, murder, news, sentencing, video recordings by sally

‘Two men who used their phones to film themselves brutally attacking a man with learning difficulties have been jailed for his murder.’

Full story

BBC News, 20th February 2017

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Court of Appeal delivers landmark ruling in ‘state detention’ inquest case – Local Government Lawyer

‘A woman with a learning disability who died whilst in the intensive care unit of a hospital was not in ‘state detention’, the Court of Appeal has ruled.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 27th January 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Watchdogs release damning reports on Marie Stopes abortion clinics – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 21st, 2016 in abortion, charities, consent, health, learning difficulties, news, reports by tracey

‘Staff at Britain’s biggest abortion provider tried to give a vulnerable woman a termination even though she did not understand what was going on, a damning report has found.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 20th December 2016

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Deprivation of liberty under scrutiny at Court of Appeal – Law Society’s Gazette

‘Two years after a Supreme Court landmark ruling led to a surge in applications by local authorities for deprivations of liberty under the Mental Capacity Act, the Court of Appeal is to rule on whether a patient in intensive care can be considered to be in state detention.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 14th December 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Our prisons are overflowing with immature and vulnerable men – The Guardian

‘Young men don’t mature psychologically until their mid-20s. Condemning so many to the toxic environment of our jails is a recipe for reoffending and suicide.’

Full story

The Guardian, 1st December 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Woman with learning disability should have caesarean, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted November 16th, 2016 in birth, learning difficulties, medical treatment, news by sally

‘Doctors can perform a caesarean section on a pregnant woman with learning difficulties who wants to give birth naturally at home, a judge has ruled after a hearing in a specialist court.’

Full story

The Guardian, 16th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bar Council launches vulnerable witness advocacy training – The Bar Council

‘Pro bono training launched for advocates dealing with vulnerable witnesses.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 14th November 2016

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

New guidelines issued on questioning of vulnerable witnesses in court – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2016 in children, cross-examination, learning difficulties, news, witnesses by tracey

‘Guidelines say children and people with learning difficulties should not be subject to unnecessarily harsh questioning.’

Full story

The Guardian, 14th November 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Prison’s gross failures contributed to death of inmate, inquest finds – The Guardian

‘A catastrophic series of failures contributed to the death of a prisoner, who died after setting fire to his cell, an inquest jury ruled.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Criminal injuries compensation – Law Society’s Gazette

‘The courts have tackled the issue of compensation for criminal injuries inflicted before birth.’

Full story

Law Society’s Gazette, 25th July 2016

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk