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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be furious about this and think this is a safeguarding issue?

40 replies

LivinLaVidaLoki · 04/08/2018 08:41

Have been awake all night worrying about this and trying to post the story in as an anonymous way as I can as it can be quite outing. But I don't think there's any way to do that and I'm so desperate for help/advice.
I have a brother with learning difficulties.
He has been off the social services radar for most of his life as "back in the day" learning disabilities were never recognised and so parents/grandparents etc took care of him.
Unfortunately they have all now died and it shone a light on how bad things were for him. Myself and other siblings tried our best to support him but it has been so hard.
We finally managed to get some support from social services who did an assessment and he is to be placed in supported living. He is also very happy with this.
However, due to a position he had found himself in (that's a whole other thread) He was given a temporary placement in a home for adults with learning disabilities.
Now, the home where he lives have had an achievement (trying not to give too many details) which involves DB. This achievement has been taken to the local press. So in the printed paper, on the website and the Facebook pages of four local papers (the same newspaper group) there are pictures of my brother with the staff with the article giving out the name of the home and where it is.
Given the situation he was in when he went there I feel this is a major safeguarding issue.
I feel that they could have done the article without mentioning his name just said "a resident" and still had the smiley staff picture without him.
None of us were consulted and I know DB would not have understood the full implications of this. He would have just thought he was doing something nice for the people there. It wouldn't have occurred to him that now, all these people he needed to be away from now know where he lives....
I just feel like he has been exploited for a bit of self promotion here.
So, would I be right to raise this as an issue or am I just overreacting because I'm protective of my brother.

OP posts:

IdontunderstandPicasso · 04/08/2018 08:44

It’s hard to know without knowing what the incident was but no, I don’t think you are over reacting. If there was a incident where you do not want people knowing where he now lives, especially if he is vulnerable, then it is a safe guarding issue. Who has “responsibility” for him now though?

Original poster

LivinLaVidaLoki · 04/08/2018 08:46

Me and one of my other DB have responsibility for him. He also has a social worker.

OP posts:

Aeroflotgirl · 04/08/2018 08:49

I think yabvu, overreacting somewhat. My dd 11 has Asd and learning difficulties, I would not be bothered by this. As long as dd would be well looked after and cared for.

0ccamsRazor · 04/08/2018 08:50

I do not think that you are overreacting Op, if he is not gillick competent then the staff should have sort consent from his next of kin. I would say something and have his name removed from online sources as well as letting the manager of the home know your wishes for his anonymity in future.

petrolpump28 · 04/08/2018 08:50

Mmmm tricky one. I do notice lots of use of photos, every event or club you attend people are recording and using it to make their event look good. Are there policies about giving consent for photographs to be used?

0ccamsRazor · 04/08/2018 08:51

*sought

HolidayHate · 04/08/2018 08:51

Agree with aeroflot
Yabu unless you have a reason to hide his identity I don't see what's the problem

Whatamuddleduck · 04/08/2018 08:52

This is an issue of capacity and consent. So you could ask the home whether they assessed his capacity to make a decision about sharing his personal information (name and address) in this way.
If you feel he is now actually at risk then I would advise speaking to him, home and social worker to find a solution.

Thesearmsofmine · 04/08/2018 08:53

YANBU he is a vulnerable person.

It is the same type of situation as looked after children in school by having their photo taken and published.

Original poster

LivinLaVidaLoki · 04/08/2018 08:53

aeroflotgirl my issue is that they have published his address along with his picture so people who have been a threat or danger to him previous to him now know where he lives. I just don't think that's taking reasonable steps to ensure his safety. He didn't need to be named in the article.

OP posts:

Wishiwaswonderwoman87 · 04/08/2018 08:54

You allude to an incident that he needs to get away from people who were part of it?

If something had happened that involved moving him for his own safety away from specific people then yanbu because this knew centre should be aware of why he is in their care.

However i assume not just amyone can visit this new centre so while these people know where he is, they cannot visit? However thats not much comfort.

HariboHippo · 04/08/2018 08:54

As someone who works in SS for a local authority, this is a safeguarding concern if either a) he doesn’t have capacity (as assessed under MCA assessment) so his “consent” if he gave it at all doesn’t stand or b) you signed any waiver or permission upon temp placement that you consented to photography AND publicity. It may well be in the contract you would have signed for his placement. Unless the LA are acting on his behalf (he is under appointeeship or court of protection) and then they may well have signed or given permission on his behalf. Lots of variables but it sounds to me like they have utilised a vulnerable man for their own publicity. They should have anonymised or used initials or , “37 year old man with complex LD kind of statement” YANBU

CurbsideProphet · 04/08/2018 08:54

Was your DB being exploited by others (perhaps financially?) and you're concerned that these people would now know where he lives?

If you and your DB are his legal guardians (unsure of wording) then YANBU and it should have been discussed with you first.

Wishiwaswonderwoman87 · 04/08/2018 08:55

New centre... not knew...
And anyone... not amyone....

Yet to finish my morning coffee!

ConciseandNice · 04/08/2018 08:56

You are not overreacting however if they had no clue that he was at risk in some way because of people he has had experience of in the past then they didn’t really do anything very bad. I don’t feel it was cynical self-promotion. Nevertheless if you are his legal guardian then you should have had to sign something giving them freedom to post such pictures. Speak to them at once and get it taken down. It does seem a bit late now though so maybe it is worth having an emergency meeting about ways to circumvent any repercussions. I’m sorry you’re going through this.

RJnomore1 · 04/08/2018 08:57

I'm presuming he was being taken advantage of in some manner by not very nice people abd moved into care for his own protection.

In which case yes you are correct to raise this. A school with children who are protected from family members for example would not be permitted to do this and if your brothers capacity to consent and circumstances are similar he should have had similar protection.

Well done to him on his achievement though.

Original poster

LivinLaVidaLoki · 04/08/2018 08:57

Sorry for not giving much info about the incident but this is already identifying enough. All I will say is he was threatened and abused by numerous people. The reason he was given an emergency placement is because he was not safe where he was because of these people.
He settled very quickly after moving as he felt safe because these people could no longer find him.

OP posts:

MynameisJune · 04/08/2018 08:58

Did the home know about his previous incident and need to stay anonymous?

At a guess did he inadvertently get accused of sexual harassment or similar? And the girls family aren’t the sort you’d want to deal with?

I only ask because my younger brother has LD’s, he is in a home at the moment and has managed to escape twice and the scenario above terrifies me because he wouldn’t really have a clue what he was doing and the repercussions.

Original poster

LivinLaVidaLoki · 04/08/2018 08:59

mynameisjune The home knew as his safety around the situation is the whole reason he was placed there.

OP posts:

MynameisJune · 04/08/2018 09:00

Also I’m guessing your DB is an adult? Are you his appointed deputy/guardian (depending on where you live) if not they don’t legally have to consult with you about anything. So if you believe he can’t make decisions for himself then you need to apply to be his deputy.

Aeroflotgirl · 04/08/2018 09:07

Oh right, then that clearly is a safeguarding issue, you need to raise it with the home and SW. Make a complaint to the quality care council. Ask the home to remove his picture and information from literature.

Bowerbird5 · 04/08/2018 09:09

I think it is a safe- guarding issue. I would speak to both the SW and the principle of the home. Unfortunately sometimes the press put things in when specifically told not to. What a worry for you.

ragged · 04/08/2018 09:12

How important is your DB to these exploiters & abusers? I imagine him being a drug mule, and sounds like your DB has already proved himself an unsuitable business partner. If they are just sadists, usually folk like that aren't organised enough to track down someone they liked to abuse in past, it's too much effort, easier to find a nearer victim. Unless he lives in exact same community where he always lived so easily accessed, in which case wasn't he still vulnerable to being found by them?

hard to say with such vague details

Figlessfig · 04/08/2018 09:19

I have a daughter with LD who lives in supported accommodation. No WAY would this happen where she is. Very bad practice indeed.

Which of you is his Legal Guardian? Whichever one it is should take this up, in strong terms, with the management of the accommodation.

Waterfall010 · 04/08/2018 09:20

Oh as others said yanbu, raise a complaint, sounds like they have been v careless. Might have had best of intentions but still.
My friend left v abusive dh, whereabouts of her and son kept secret for their own protection, started new school, they knew the situation but still put his mugshot in the paper for everyone to see after an event!
He had to move school, new friends etc for his own safety.
People need to be more careful about assessing risk when taking photos of vulnerable people and publishing them!

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