Claire Morgan 17/04/2025 NewsPress Releases

The Stolen Lives Campaign Group, protested outside of the Senedd on the 17th April 2024 about the inappropriate placement of people with learning disabilities and autism in hospital settings such as Assessment and Treatment Units and Psychiatric Intensive Care Units because the services they needed could not be provided. The protest went under the banner of ‘Homes Not Hospitals’ and it received a lot of support from people with learning disabilities/ autism, parent/carers, the third sector in Wales and many Members of the Senedd.

Following the protest the then Minister for Mental Health and Early Years, Jayne Bryant, met with the Stolen Lives Campaign group along with Sioned Wiliams MS (Chair of the Cross Party Group on Learning Disability) and representatives of the third sector. The Stolen Lives group explained the issues that people with learning disabilities and autism and their parent/ carers have been facing. They explained that this is a ‘systemic’ issue that can only be resolved through intervention by the Welsh Government. The Minister agreed to the groups request for a dedicated task and finish group to be established under the Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group.

The ‘Homes not Hospitals’ task and finish group is made up of the Stolen Lives campaign group, some members of the Learning Disability Ministerial Advisory Group and other interested parties. It is co-chaired by Sophie Hinksman and Joe Powell of All Wales People First. The first meeting of the task and finish group was held in October 2024 and have been held monthly since. The final meeting will take place in May 2025 and the group will submit a report of recommendations to Sarah Murphy MS, the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

The purpose of the recommendations is to assist the Welsh Government to prevent people with learning disabilities and autism from being placed inappropriately into mental health settings because the services they need can’t be provided. The recommendations are also intended to assist the Welsh Government in ensuring that those who are currently placed into inappropriate settings are transferred into their own homes in their local communities.

The incarceration of people with learning disabilities and autism into inappropriate mental health settings has had a profound emotional and psychological impact on those using the services and their family carers. This is fundamentally a serious Human Rights issue and one that must be resolved as soon as possible. The Task and Finish Group are resolved to work with the Welsh Government to ensure that everyone gets the services they need. People with learning disabilities and autism need Homes not Hospitals.

You can find out more about Stolen Lives and the Homes not Hospitals Campaign at: https://stolenlives.blog/