Young disabled people driven to self-harm after being blocked from seeing family during lockdown, report finds

Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Young people with learning disabilities are being driven to self-harm after being prevented from seeing their families during the coronavirus lockdown in breach of their human rights, a new report finds. The Joint Committee on Human Rights warned that the situation for children and young people in mental health hospitals had reached the point of “severe crisis” during the pandemic due to unlawful blanket bans on visits, the suspension of routine inspections and the increased use of restraint and solitary confinement. NHS England issued guidance in early April on suspending visits to all hospitals, but said exceptions could be made for people with mental health conditions “where not being present would cause the patient to be distressed”. The Covid-19 lockdown increases that danger and the government must recognise it and take action.” Edel Harris, chief executive of the learning disability charity Mencap, said: “With family contact cut and CQC inspections reduced during lockdown, families are rightly terrified about what is happening to their loved ones behind closed doors.