Sent: Tuesday, 1 April, 2008 1:05:39 AMSubject: Article from The JC Website - Couple sue to force council to help care for their disabled sonCouple sue to force council to help care for their disabled so>28/02/2008 00:00:00By By Dana GlogerTHE parents of a man with Asperger's Syndrome are urging others to follow their lead after winning a legal battle against their local council.Bernard and Roberta Hart, from Hatch End, Middlesex, took Harrow Council to the High Court, claiming that it was neglecting its duty to help care for and support their son Steven, 40. But even before the case was heard, the council conceded and agreed to fund a place for him at a specialist facility.His parents, both retired, said they had to fight the council for years and that only legal action had worked.Last June, the JC launched its 'Forgotten Parents' campaign, calling for better local-authority care and provision for the parents of disabled children.Mr Hart, 64, said that Steven was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome only in 2001, after previously being misdiagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Until then, he had been receiving some help from the council's Intensive Community Support Team, for people with mental-health issues.'When he was diagnosed, experts made several recommendations for Steven,' Mr Hart said. 'We took them all to Harrow but they said they didn't know what Asperger's was and that they were going to withdraw the help he had been receiving until that point, as Asperger's was not a mental illness.'The family was left with even less outside help and Harrow placed Steven in a flat, but he could not cope there. 'He wouldn't shop or clean and there was no support from Harrow at all. Eventually, Steven began to get very paranoid, and thought that his neighbours wanted to kill him. So we moved him back into our house,' Mr Hart said.But living at his parents' house proved trying. Steven, who is extremely sensitive to loud noises, became agitated at normal domestic sounds such as a vacuum cleaner or washing-machine, leaving his parents feeling they had to creep around.Eventually, with his condition fast deteriorating, the Harts asked Harrow Council to fund a place for him at a specialist residential home.Harrow refused, so Mr and Mrs Hart felt they had no option left other than to begin legal proceedings. Ultimately, Harrow agreed to fund Steven's care indefinitely. He is currently living at the Springs Community in Kent.Following their legal victory, the couple, who also have a 38-year-old daughter, set up a support group, Asperger's Syndrome Access to Provision (ASAP), in September last year, to help other carers, and to urge them to take legal action against Harrow.'In light of the fact that Harrow reacts only to legal action, there is no other route and I would encourage anyone to go through the legal process, said Mr Hart. 'It is the only language they understand and respond to.'The Harts help others to take such action by providing advice as well as practical help such as writing letters for people whose first language is not English. 'At least five of our members are now taking legal advice,' Mr Hart said.Earlier this month, the <i>JC</i> reported the case of James Sugarman, a child with special needs in Harrow, who had been at home with no school to go to for over six months as the council had failed to find him an appropriate school.Cllr Eric Silver, portfolio holder for Harrow Council's Adult Services, said: 'The council offers assistance to people suffering from Asperger's syndrome within its mainstream services where the condition creates problems for the client that meet the council's criteria for help. Where and when appropriate, this will include help of specialist staff and/or provision.'http://www.thejc.comColin Revell
To: [log in to unmask]: [log in to unmask]: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 22:17:57 +0000Subject: [politicsofautism] Fw: Article from The JC Website - Couple sue to force council to help care for their disabled son
David asked me to forward this to the list. Richard
----- Forwarded Message ----From: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>To: [log in to unmask]: Tuesday, 1 April, 2008 1:05:39 AMSubject: Article from The JC Website - Couple sue to force council to help care for their disabled son<b>Couple sue to force council to help care for their disabled son</b>28/02/2008 00:00:00By <b>By Dana Gloger</b>THE parents of a man with Asperger's Syndrome are urging others to follow their lead after winning a legal battle against their local council.Bernard and Roberta Hart, from Hatch End, Middlesex, took Harrow Council to the High Court, claiming that it was neglecting its duty to help care for and support their son Steven, 40. But even before the case was heard, the council conceded and agreed to fund a place for him at a specialist facility.His parents, both retired, said they had to fight the council for years and that only legal action had worked.Last June, the <i>JC</i> launched its 'Forgotten Parents' campaign, calling for better local-authority care and provision for the parents of disabled children.Mr Hart, 64, said that Steven was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome only in 2001, after previously being misdiagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia. Until then, he had been receiving some help from the council's Intensive Community Support Team, for people with mental-health issues.'When he was diagnosed, experts made several recommendations for Steven,' Mr Hart said. 'We took them all to Harrow but they said they didn't know what Asperger's was and that they were going to withdraw the help he had been receiving until that point, as Asperger's was not a mental illness.'The family was left with even less outside help and Harrow placed Steven in a flat, but he could not cope there. 'He wouldn't shop or clean and there was no support from Harrow at all. Eventually, Steven began to get very paranoid, and thought that his neighbours wanted to kill him. So we moved him back into our house,' Mr Hart said.But living at his parents' house proved trying. Steven, who is extremely sensitive to loud noises, became agitated at normal domestic sounds such as a vacuum cleaner or washing-machine, leaving his parents feeling they had to creep around.Eventually, with his condition fast deteriorating, the Harts asked Harrow Council to fund a place for him at a specialist residential home.Harrow refused, so Mr and Mrs Hart felt they had no option left other than to begin legal proceedings. Ultimately, Harrow agreed to fund Steven's care indefinitely. He is currently living at the Springs Community in Kent.Following their legal victory, the couple, who also have a 38-year-old daughter, set up a support group, Asperger's Syndrome Access to Provision (ASAP), in September last year, to help other carers, and to urge them to take legal action against Harrow.'In light of the fact that Harrow reacts only to legal action, there is no other route and I would encourage anyone to go through the legal process, said Mr Hart. 'It is the only language they understand and respond to.'The Harts help others to take such action by providing advice as well as practical help such as writing letters for people whose first language is not English. 'At least five of our members are now taking legal advice,' Mr Hart said.Earlier this month, the <i>JC</i> reported the case of James Sugarman, a child with special needs in Harrow, who had been at home with no school to go to for over six months as the council had failed to find him an appropriate school.Cllr Eric Silver, portfolio holder for Harrow Council's Adult Services, said: 'The council offers assistance to people suffering from Asperger's syndrome within its mainstream services where the condition creates problems for the client that meet the council's criteria for help. Where and when appropriate, this will include help of specialist staff and/or provision.'http://www.thejc.com
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