ROSA MONCKTON

 

Rosa Monckton's work

Rosa has a daughter, Domenica, who has Down Syndrome and so understands the problems that families with a relative with learning difficulites encounter. She is involved in 5 charities that relate to this.

She has made several television documentaries and had articles published in various newspapers.

Recently, she was able to present a seminar at the Houses of Parliament where ministers were invited to hear the experiences of families who had encountered problems, many of which were due to the repercussions from the Mental Capacity Act 2005 - with disappointing results.

 

Rosa says "People with a learning disability may chronologically become adults, but, in most cases, will remain mentally as children. However, because of the current ideology that everyone is equal, and the assumption (because of the Mental Capacity Act 2005) that they are capable of making their own life-changing decisions, people with learning disabilities are being put out 'into the community' with insufficient support. They become lonely, and are 'befriended' by people who take advantage of them. They are bullied, sexually assasulted, have their benefits stolen and - in some cases - are murdered".

"Yes, we are all equal in that we share a common humanity, but some are more vulnerable than others, and require looking after. Time and again I hear of families fighting to get their adult 'children' into a safe environment, only to be told by their Local Authorities that it is "their choice'" to live on their own: that it is "their choice" to choose what they want to eat - deliberately ignoring the fact that the person concerned is not capable of making such a decision."

"Localism does not work when it comes to looking after people with a learning disability. Government needs to accept this, and to ensure that families in every Local Authority receive the same level of care and support. The postcode lottery is cruel, and unacceptable."

"I have lost count of the number of families I have been involved with who have been to tribunal, who have fought to get a social worker, who have battled to receive the right direct payments. I have heard from mothers who have left their children in A&E, as they were not receiving the help they required. Mothers fighting to get more than 4 nappies every 24 hours for doubly incontinent teenagers, and having to prove 'inflow and outflow'."

"Where is our compassion, and our commonsense?"

Rosa leads the way with her work. Please visit her website: