Luke Clements is the Emeritus Professor of Law and Social Justice at Leeds University.
An interesting High Court judgment[1] that concerns local authorities’ duties under the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014 – including the duty to meet need and to ensure that…
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The youth ‘justice’ system is in urgent need of radical reform and there is a great deal in the Ministry of Justice’s new White Paper on ‘Youth Crime’[1] that is…
Read moreFor a challenging ‘Politics Home’ paper on this issue by Chaminda Jayanetti click here.
Read moreFor details of a Liverpool Law Clinic SEND briefing click here – it includes (at the end) details of a ‘Save SEND Legal Rights’ Demonstration on 9th May 2026.
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The English Government is currently consulting on draft updated statutory guidance on Supporting Pupils with Medical Conditions in Schools. It is a daunting (122 page) draft; it is troubling and sadly…
Read moreFor details of a ‘Save SEND Legal Rights’ Demonstration on 9th May 2026 click here.
Read moreFor details of a ‘Save SEND Legal Rights’ Demonstration on 9th May 2026 click here.
Read moreFor the Department for Education’s initial response to the Law Commission Report on the Law relating to Disabled Children and Social care – click here.
Read moreThe ombudsman’s 2026 report ‘Are we caring for our carers? Revisited’ can be accessed by clicking here
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No one familiar with the miscarriages of justice resulting from allegations that parents (overwhelmingly mothers) are harming their children by fabricating or inducing their illness (FII) will be able to…
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A powerful and measured report has been published concerning the experiences of Parent Carers in dealing with the statutory agencies responsible for providing health and social care support for their…
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This is the heading of profoundly disturbing and important story aired by the excellent ‘ITV News’ investigation team.[1] The story recounts how many parents are facing severe restrictions on visiting…
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Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID) is a serious eating disorder characterised by extreme food avoidance, sensory based restriction, or fear-based refusal. [1] . …
Read moreFor details of a petition to end the ‘hospital’ rule stopping carers payments - click here.
Read morePhD research at Swansea University seeks confidential interviews with Autistic Mothers - for details, click here.
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Our research strongly suggests that the most oppressive traumas[1] experienced by the majority of families with disabled children – result from the behaviour of public services: traumas caused by the…
Read moreThe Commissioner wants to hear from older people in Wales about their experiences of receiving care and support. To access the questionnaire click here.
Read moreFor an excellent overview by Tim Spencer-Lane, of the new Act's provisions, click here.
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In March 2026 the English Government is due to give its interim response to the Law Commission’s proposals (published in September 2025[1]) for the reform of the law relating to…
Read moreKent County Council has settled a JR claim that its policies concerning disability related expenditure (DRE) were unlawful. For a note by the solicitors Gold Jennings of the settlement click…
Read moreAn acclaimed 30 minute mixed-reality production concerning the impact of austerity: of people denied welfare benefits and who died. Click here for the Guardian review and click here for booking…
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There appears to be little research concerning the prevalence and impact of ex parte (ie secret) hearings in the Family Law courts and in the Court of Protection: hearings that…
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The NHS has a duty to provide support for adults who are eligible for continuing healthcare funding and who have been assessed as needing transport for social care activities: the…
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The treatment of families with profoundly disabled children by increasing numbers of NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) in England and NHS Health Boards in Wales is truly shocking. Children on…
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A report based on major research by Professor Andy Bilson finds (among much else) that children with a disability or mental health concern are more than three times as likely…
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A troubling report by the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales[1] concerning a council’s refusal to escalate a social care complaint to Stage 2 of its complaints process, in line with…
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Following last week’s launch of Cerebra’s major research tackling the phenomenon of Systems Generated Trauma, this week has seen two important reports concerning directly relevant issues. Adoption breakdowns On…
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A major research report ‘Systems Generated Trauma’ has been published by the disabled children's charity Cerebra at a launch event in Westminster. It draws on over 10 years of research…
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The Sunday Times and its Special Correspondent Emily Dugan, have to their great credit, persevered with the investigation into wrongful allegations of Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII). The article was…
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An interesting Judicial Review judgment[1] concerning an ALN assessment of a young adult who attended a specialist school in Cardiff. The assessment (under section 140 of the Learning Skills Act…
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What appears to be a ‘first’ - a Court of Protection decision has been published in Welsh on the official by Court judgment website ‘Bailii’ (British and Irish Legal Information…
Read moreFor a powerful film by the Hammersmith & Fulham Coalition Against Cuts click one of the following links: with BSL and subtitles only, or with audio descriptions as well https://vimeo.com/1124827034.
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There is no reason to doubt the noble intentions of the Welsh Government in seeking to improve the rights of Disabled People. There is no reason to question the aspirational…
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The Sunday Times in its investigation into wrongful allegations of FII, carried a further harrowing story on 10 August 2025. It concerns Maeve Boothby O’Neill who died in 2021 (aged…
Read moreParent Blame: Where are we now? (Cerebra LEaP Project, Leeds University). For details click here.
Read moreTackling the Crisis In Children's Social Care Conference (The Families’ Alliance for Change): October 25th 2025. For details click here.
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The Sunday Times in its investigation into wrongful allegations of FII, carried a further harrowing story on 10 August 2025. It concerns Maeve Boothby O’Neill who died in 2021 (aged…
Read moreFor a fascinating paper in the Sheffield Tribune concerning PAS (that has strong FII echoes) click here.
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A good colleague has summarised three ombudsman reports concerning the alarming failures by the key health and social care bodies in Peterborough with responsibility for providing support for a disabled…
Read moreFor an extended ITV interview with a parent wrongly accused of FII, (broadcast on 21 July 2025) click here.
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The Sunday Times has published a further article concerning its investigation into the false allegations that are being made against parents that they are fabricating or inducing their child’s illness. …
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A major article appeared in the Sunday Times on 20 July 2025 concerning its investigation into the impact that unsubstantiated Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII) allegations are having on countless…
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Increasingly I am confronted by cases involving profoundly disabled children where the behaviour of the NHS takes my breath away. Of course, the NHS is generally spectacular when called upon…
Read moreThe failings of Herefordshire Children’s Services have figured in a number of posts in these webpages and these accounts continue – for a recent and troubling Observer Newspaper story concerning…
Read moreFor another – but nonetheless important – report on the political and economic costs of the disgraceful neglect of adult social care in England, click here.
Read moreFor an important and profoundly troubling article concerning the use of 'facilitated communication' click here.
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A recent (May 2025) research paper by Professors Andy Bilson and Alessandro Talia involved a comprehensive review of Serious Case Reviews (SCRs) in England from 2010 to 2021. It found…
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St George's House, based in the grounds of Windsor Castle was founded in 1966 by the (then) Duke of Edinburgh and the (then) Dean of Windsor. It seeks to effect…
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Mark Isherwood North Wales MS and Chair of both the Cross-Party Autism Group and the Cross-Party Group on Disability, has endorsed the comments of one of his Flintshire constituent’s –…
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