Autism, Mental Health and Support Services
Will Melbourne was a 19-year-old autistic person with other mental health conditions who tragically died after many attempts to get help and reach out to the relevant support services. Sadly, this is a story we are starting to hear all too often. Will wasn’t the first person with autism or learning disabilities and mental health problems to be let down by the support system and sadly he won’t be the last. Shortly before he died, Will posted a video online in an effort to help others in similar situations navigate a system that he described as “not fit for purpose”.
We continue to hear of families and young people being turned away by the system and going into crisis. The National Autistic Society say more than 300,000 people are not getting their needs met by their local social services and campaigners say autistic people are being left to “fall through the cracks” by health and social care services. Analysis carried out by the Health Foundation for BBC News also suggests around 10% of social care staff haven’t had any training in how to support people with autism. Will was moved by the local authority into supported accommodation, where his mother assumed he would be safe. “When you hand your son over like that, you trust that he is safe with that body, whoever’s looking after him and it was clear that he wasn’t. He wasn’t safe at all.” Will died alone in his flat in December 2020 and the family are yet to have any answers surrounding their tragic loss.
Change needs to happen and it needs to happen fast. For far too long autistic people’s mental health have been poorly understood. The National Autistic Society is running a campaign called ‘Not Enough’. The point of the Not Enough campaign is to demand better support and services for autistic people are their families across the country. How many more autistic people have to suffer before real change is made?
The BBC’s Jeremy Cooke spoke to Will’s family to learn more about the young man with an “incredible mind”. Watch the video here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-58334061
“This whole system is based on the idea that you have to be in crisis to get help.”
Rest In Peace Will.