MP CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT ACTION ON DISABILITY HATE CRIME

12.00.00am GMT Thu 6th Dec 2007

Local MP Matthew Taylor has called for the Government to take stronger action on hate crimes against people with learning disabilities following the case review into Steven Hoskin's murder. He has also urged Ministers to implement changes to ensure services for adults with learning difficulties are required to work together for their protection in the same way that services for children do.

A case review is conducted whenever a person under the care of social services dies as a result of a serious incident or abuse. Steven Hoskin - who suffered from severe learning disabilities - was tortured and murdered in 2006, and the gang members responsible for his death were tried and sentenced at Truro Crown Court in July this year.

The MP is also calling for the Government to acknowledge their failure to push for cross-agency working to protect adults with mental health problems. The Climbie Inquiry resulted in a statutory duty of cooperation between the different agencies involved in child protection following the death of eight year old Victoria Climbie in 2000. It did not look at similar problems with the protection of vulnerable adults and hence no equivalent duties of cooperation exist.

Mr Hoskin's care has been looked into by Cornwall 's adult protection committee, which includes representatives from the police, social services and healthcare, and the review, released today, has been led by Dr Margaret Flynn, who is a lecturer in mental health and learning disabilities at Sheffield Hallam University .

The review concludes that a lack of communication between the different agencies involved in handling Mr Hoskin's care meant that his multiple attempts to get help were not responded to effectively, and the level of danger posed by those responsible for his death was not correctly assessed.

Mr Taylor is calling on the Government to address fundamental weaknesses in the protection of adults with learning disabilities, including:

The absence of a statutory duty to co-operate (as is the case in Children's Services)

No statutory footing for Local Adult Protection Committees or Safeguarding Board (as is the case in Children's Services)

The absence of any cross-inspectorate national review of the effectiveness of adult protection work (as has happened in Children's Services)

Commenting, Mr Taylor said:

"What happened to Steven Hoskin was an appalling tragedy and we must endeavour to ensure that it never happens again. The report recommendations today should be implemented immediately - clearly there were unacceptable failings and lessons must be learnt.

"A lot of people assume that everyone agrees that these types of hate crimes against people with disabilities are unacceptable, but the evidence shows that many victims are suffering in secret.

"While the report rightly highlights the important changes that need to be made locally, it also raises profound questions over the protection of adults with learning disabilities nationally that the Government must address, and in particular the duty that has been placed on care agencies to work together for the protection of children must be extended to the agencies charged with protecting vulnerable adults."

According to a Mencap survey, almost 1 in 4 people with learning disabilities have been assaulted because of them, and many people with learning disabilities see these incidents as an inevitable part of everyday life. However, between April and September this year there have only been 57 successful prosecutions for these crimes.

Last month the MP tabled a Parliamentary motion with Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Children, Young People and Families Annette Brooke to highlight the abuse and assaults on people with learning disabilities, calling on the Government to set out how they will find a solution in the upcoming revision of the Violent Crime Strategy.

The Liberal Democrat's Parliamentary Candidate for St Austell and Newquay, Stephen Gilbert, added:

"Real reforms to the way that vulnerable groups are protected must be made quickly or there will be more needless suffering. The Climbie Inquiry has clearly not safeguarded the protection of adults with learning disabilities. The Government needs to open its eyes to the prejudice and violence that is going on and drive forward changes".