Crime and Punishment

“Raskolnikov felt suddenly in his whole being that he had no more freedom of thought, no will. . . It was as if a part of his clothing had been caught in the cogs of a machine and he was being dragged into it.” 

Our health and social care systems are meant to be there to help, and for many, that is the case. However, there is another experience of these systems that is not as widely acknowledged. One more akin to that described by Raskolnikov.

Many individuals and families find themselves fighting for their lives and the lives of their loved ones, against a system that is not benign but is, in and of itself, the source of harm. We have worked alongside individuals and families, in allyship, to try to mitigate these harms. We have written with them about their experiences.

Institutions are not safe places. They never have been. The organisation works hard to help

people move on from institutional care. It also works to raise awareness of impact of institutional care on citizens now and the role it has played in the near and distant past.

An opportunity arose to share insights into the dark history of institutionalisation that has affected, and continues to affect, so many learning disabled and autistic people. C-Change contributed to a BBC Radio 4 programme, ‘History on the Edge’, presented by Anita Anand. This programme discussed the role of institutions with a particular focus on Lennox Castle Hospital.

The impact of this programme was a profound and timely reminder that we should never forget our history, or we run the risk of repeating the same mistakes. After the programme aired, the organisation was contacted by a listener, Vince Meegan, who wanted to share the story of his Uncle James who had lived in Lennox Castle Hospital. It was a humbling experience working alongside him to memorialise his uncle’s life.

We know how to do better; we need to learn how to really listen to people and honour what

matters to them. Alongside this we have the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities as our guide.

So – let’s do this.