This follows the scandal of abuse and neglect uncovered at Winterbourne View in 2011.
The CB-NSG was set up in 2008 by The
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.
Foundation (CBF) to provide support for people with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges. The group brings together key representatives from charities, professional networks, research bodies, government, families and 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.
.
The Government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much tax people should pay and how things like the National Health Service (NHS) should work.
, NHS England and the local government have failed to meet the June 2014 deadline for moving people out of places like Winterbourne View and back to their local communities.
The NAO is due to report early in 2015. Their inquiry will address the following questions:
- has the Government improved the provision of cost-effective care services for people with a learning disability following the Winterbourne View scandal?
- has the Government achieved the key commitments set out in the 2012 Winterbourne View Concordat?
- are all stakeholders working effectively to build capacity in the
community
A community is the people and places in an area.
and monitor the quality of care for adults with a learning disability?
CBF chairs the CB-NSG, of which Mencap is one of the members. Both charities have been campaigning together with families to improve local service provision for people with a learning disability since the scandal of abuse at Winterbourne View.
Vivien Cooper, chief executive of The Challenging Behaviour Foundation and Jan Tregelles, chief executive of Mencap, said:
We know that the Government’s current commitments to people with a learning disability and their families are far from being met. We have raised serious concerns about this unacceptable lack of progress. These concerns have resulted in a national inquiry, which we hope will ultimately hold the Government to account.
Inaction is no longer an option. We hope the inquiry will help to drive the change so urgently needed to enable people with a learning disability to get the right support at the right time and in the right place.
Steve Sollars, whose son Sam was in Winterbourne View for two years up until 2010, says:
My son Sam was at Winterbourne View. He is now living in the community and getting good care. But manyother people with a learning disability are still stuck in units at risk of abuse and neglect. An inquiry is definitely needed into why, three years on from Winterbourne View, so little has changed. I hopethe inquiry looks at the issues in depth, holds people and organisations to account, and leads to lasting change.
-ENDS-
For more information, please contac the media team at Mencap, on media@mencap.org.ukor 020 7696 6950
* National Audit Office inquiry: www.nao.org.uk/work-in-progress/care-services-adults-learning-disabilities
Notes to editors
About the Challenging Behaviour National Strategy Group (CB-NSG)
The Challenging Behaviour National
Strategy
A strategy is a plan to show what an organisation, or a person, wants to do and how they are going to do it.
Group was set up in 2008 to provide support for people with severe learning disabilities whose behaviour challenges. The group brings together key representatives from charities, professional networks, research bodies, government, families and people with a learning disability.
About The Challenging Behaviour Foundation
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation (CBF) is an independent charity providing information, support and workshops around challenging behaviour associated with severe learning disabilities to families and professionals. The CBF leads the ‘Challenging Behaviour National Strategy Group’ which seeks to influence policy and practice nationally and has developed the Challenging Behaviour
Charter
A charter is a piece of paper that says how things should be done.
.
The Challenging Behaviour Foundation was founded in 1997 by Vivien Cooper, parent of a son with severe learning disabilities who displays behaviour described as challenging. Today the Challenging Behaviour Foundation is in regular contact with over 5000 families and professionals across the UK. There are an estimated 30,000 individuals in England with severe learning disabilities and behaviour described as challenging.
About Royal Mencap Society
There are 1.4 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Independent charity Mencap works to support people with a learning disability, their families and carers by fighting to change laws, improve services and access to
education
Education is when you learn things. When you fill in a form to get a job, education means you write where you went to school, college or university.
,
employment
Employment means having a job.
and
leisure
Leisure is when you have time to do things you enjoy like playing sports or going to the pub.
facilities. Mencap supports thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.
For advice and information about learning disability and Mencap services in your area, contact Mencap Direct on 0808 808 1111 (9am-5pm, Monday- Friday) or email help@mencap.org.uk.