Time to Act - Easy Read Guide
Time to Act - why the government must change the Mental Health Act
We want the government to change the Mental Health Act.
The Mental Health Act is the
law
Laws are the rules that everyone in the country has to follow. If you don't follow the rules you can get in trouble with the police.
that says how people with mental health problems are treated and the
rights
Rights are the things everyone should be allowed to do like have a say, or go to school.
they have.
This law is for England and Wales.
Right now the Mental Health Act says people with a learning disability A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things. or autistic people can be locked up in mental health hospitals, even if they do not have a mental health problem.
We want the government to change this so having a learning disability or
autism
Autism is a disability. Autistic people find it difficult to understand what other people think and feel. They also find it difficult to tell people what they think and feel. Everyone with autism is different.
cannot be used as a reason to lock someone away if they do not have a mental health problem.
There are over 2000 people with a learning disability or autistic people who are locked up in mental health hospitals.
Lots of the people who are locked up do not have a mental health problem.
They have been locked up because they showed
challenging behaviour
Challenging behaviour can be when someone hurts themselves, hits or pinches someone else, or breaks something. Some people might behave like this because they are upset or because people do not understand them.
.
We think this is wrong.
People with a learning disability and autistic people should get the right support to live in the community A community is the people and places in an area. .
People should live in homes, not in hospitals
You can find out more about why people with a learning disability and autistic people being locked away and why it must stop on our website.
What we are doing
We are writing a letter to the
Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is the leader of the government.
to tell him to change the Mental Health Act.
We want the government to change the law so having a learning disability or autism cannot be used as a reason to lock someone up in a mental health hospital.
This easy read Easy Read is a way of making written information easier to understand. Pictures are usually added next to the writing. was created 21/09/ 2023.
Last updated 19/10/2023