A KIDDERMINSTER woman has spoken about the journey embarked on by people with a learning disabilities (LD) from years ago to the where they are today.
Speaking after last month’s Learning Disability Week, Barbara Pugh said she had experienced some of this journey herself as her son Chris had learning difficulties.
“In 1845 there was no distinction between mental illness and learning disability, but during the 1850s a charity for ‘Asylum of Idiots’ was set up four large voluntary asylums.
“Moving forward many years, the National Association for Parents of Backward children was created, which later became MENCAP.
“During the 1950s we saw the opening of Lea Castle Hospital, built near Kidderminster.
“It had four wards initially, but this increased later becoming a regional facility with approximately 600 patients, coming from Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire and parts of Birmingham.
“Unfortunately, Chris was admitted to Lea Castle because of his behaviour and spent some years on a boy’s ward.
“Everything was communal, even the clothes they wore. If a shirt was found that fitted my Chris, that is what he wore, even if we were taking him out during visiting time, which was usually Sunday afternoons.
“One of the positive things for the children at Lea Castle was they were able to attend school.
“Education was not mandatory until the Education Act of 1981, saying children with learning disabilities should receive some kind of education, in mainstream schools where possible.”
She added, In 1961, the government stated that institutions such as Lea Castle Hospital would be closed within the next 15 years.
“When people with Learning Disabilities were beginning to be moved into Community houses / units, many of them found it difficult to settle after spending years in institutions.
“Lea Castle Hospital was very good at getting people back into the community and, in Chris’s case, he was moved into a house in Kidderminster.
“At first, he loved it, but when other people joined him, he became unhappy.
“He eventually was moved to a house in Cookley, where he spent many happy years until his death in 2022.”
Barbara, who has been a champion for people with learning disability, said over the past few years, things had not gone smoothly.
“We have been saddened to hear of places who are supposed to offer care to those with LD often causing abuse or neglect.
“Some of these homes were closed because of inappropriate care.
“Although we do not want to return to the ‘bad old days’ one of the positive things about Lea Castle was that it had its own nursing school.
“Two recent reports both commented that one of the current problems was there was no longer training for people who worked with LD.”
She added on the TV news, during Learning Disability Week, this problem of training was highlighted.
And going forward, she added: “We must be very careful to ensure people with learning disabilities are treated with equality and respect.”
