Conditions in Institutions

International News

UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture recognises institutions as places of deprivation of liberty The Subcommittee defines the term “deprivation of liberty” as:

“any form of detention or imprisonment or the placement of a person in a public or private custodial setting which that person is not permitted to leave at will by order of any judicial, administrative or other authority.” (2024, ENIL)

Deinstitutionalization as Reparative Justice: A Commentary on the Guidelines on Deinstitutionalization, including in Emergencies (2024, Laws)

Joint Position on Large Foster Care

‘“Large” foster care, where large numbers of unrelated children are placed in one household, must not be considered a form of “family-based” care and is not acceptable as a component of state policy.’ (2024, Global Coalition on Deinstitutionalization)

Over 450,000 children institutionalized across Europe, Central Asia. A UNICEF investigation “reveals that children with disabilities account for up to 87 per cent of those in care, where data is available.” (2024, UN)

Redressing the harms of segregation and institutionalisation. Linda Steele and Gerard Quinn in conversation:

“Institutionalization continues to shape the present because we have policies and laws that replicate many of the dynamics of institutions. There might not be big buildings, but we have group homes. Which are smaller residential settings where people with disability continue to be congregated and segregated from the community, continue to have little choice in the supports they receive in their daily activities. They might not have a lot of privacy. They might not be able to choose who they live with. And they're also exposed to... Violence in those settings as well. We also have laws such as laws that allows sterilization and sub minimum wages and restrictive practices and forced mental health treatment. And many of the practices that happened in the big buildings in the institutions still carry on in the community as well.” (2023, Disability Dialogues)

Feeding practices of children within institution-based care: A retrospective analysis of surveillance data. “Feeding difficulties are common among children living in institution-based care (IBC), particularly but not exclusively among those children with disabilities.” (2022, Maternal & Child Nutrition)

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Eastern Europe and Central Asia

The role of boarding schools for vulnerable children A summary of evidence on the current use and impact of boarding schools in the Europe and Central Asia region. (2024, UNICEF)

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Nigeria

The Neglect and Death of a Young Woman.

“Hauwa's story is tragically emblematic. Over the years, I've met hundreds of other people with disabilities and mental health conditions in Nigeria who, without access to any affordable services in the community, ended up in traditional healing centers, Christian and Islamic faith-based facilities, or state-run rehabilitation centers where they were often neglected.” (Jan, AllAfrica)

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South Africa

Provincial funding for many Gauteng care homes have been slashed. “Thousands of frail and vulnerable people, some with disabilities, others elderly or orphaned, may have to spend the winter on the streets as the nonprofit organisations (NPO) that have cared for them can no longer do so.” (2023, The Citizen)

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India

Shocking death toll exposes human rights abuses in Delhi’s Asha Kiran Shelter Home:

“Since January, 27 deaths have been reported at the shelter home in Rohini. One amongst the dead was a minor aged 14-15 years while 13 were adults above 20 years of age.” (2024, Maktoob Media)

Following deaths, 24 residents of Asha Kiran moved to other facilities And disability activists staged a protest. (2024, Times of India)

End Lifelong Warehousing of People with Disabilities “Authorities in the Delhi government should act on recommendations of the governing board of a shelter for people with disabilities to end the lifelong institutionalization of its nearly 1,000 residents” (2024, Human Rights Watch)

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Indonesia

‘Not To Be Feared’ Reports from one of Indonesia's last remaining leprosy settlements. (2022, Disability Justice Project)

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South Korea

Removing and Rehabilitating the Burangin: South Korean Newspapers' Vagrancy Discourse in Support of State Violence:

“The South Korean government used the burangin [vagrants] label to justify their massive wave of forced institutionalizations in the 1980s that resulted in countless abuses and many hundreds of deaths.” (2024, Disability Studies Quarterly)

Grave concern on recent claims in Korea that institutions for disabled people in Europe are models of good practice. (2023, ENIL)

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Uzbekistan

A woman with mental disabilities was bullied and abused in Syrdarya

“The unnamed woman with a mental disability lives in a women’s specialised boarding house for people with disabilities in Syrdarya. Such special boarding schools for disabled people are closed institutions, and it is difficult to get any information from there. But these days it’s so easy for videos to go viral in social media.” (2024, Dilmurad Yusupov)

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Europe

Cases of state aid being spent on institutions. “State aid is a field for which the EU has strong regulatory and enforcement competences but so far does not take into account the rights of disabled people when investigating individual measures. ” (2024, ENIL)

The role of state aid in the maintenance of institutions for disabled people A case study on Germany and Portugal (Link to pdf, 2023, ENIL)

Why does Europe keep funding institutions and what can be done about it? (2023, EDF)

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Austria

Going in the wrong direction, “In Carinthia, despite all human rights recommendations, a new residential facility for disabled children is currently being built” (2023, ENIL)

Disability organisations accuse Austria of misuse of EU rural funds in plans to build a residential facility for children with disabilities. (2022, Euractiv)

How did people in institutions fare during the corona pandemic? Short animated video comparing independent living solutions to the confinement in institutions. (Youtube, in German with English subtitles, 2021, Unabhängiger Monitoringausschuss)

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Belgium

A psychologist from a center for disabled people charged with serial rapes. (In French, 2024, RTBF)

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Bulgaria

“Poor her, for having dreams.” Monitoring report on torture and ill-treatment of persons with disabilities:

“The findings of this report show that although Bulgarian institutional settings vary in size and name, institutional culture prevails in all types of institutions, including small group homes” (2024, Validity Foundation)

Joint statement: Stop funding institutions in Bulgaria! (2023, EDF)

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Czechia

Deaths and abuse of people with severe intellectual disabilities and autism in Czechia. “37-years old woman with intellectual disabilities was killed by a staff member of a “care” institution in Czechia”. (2022, Inclusion Europe)

From hospitals back to life An in-depth feature on pyschiatric institutions. "I've been in the hospital since I was eighteen. I'm eighty-one now." (in Czech but google translate seems to make sense, 2022, iROZHLAS)

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Denmark

Denmark apologizes for abuse of people with disabilities “The Danish government has apologized to thousands of people with disabilities who were abused in state-run facilities. The ill-treatment took place over decades and left deep emotional and physical scars.” (2023, DW)

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France

Their disabled daughter dies in a home for people with multiple disabilities: APF France Handicap was found guilty of negligence, and faults in the organisation of the service and training of staff. (2024, France Bleu)

Instructions to limit outings of psychiatric patients during the passage of the flame for so-called security reasons. (In French, 2024, Le Monde) See also from Santé Mentale.

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Germany

Everyday violence “The anti-disabled attacks in Mönchengladbach are reminiscent of very dark times.” (In German, 2024, Taz)

Attack on Lebenshilfe residential home in Mönchengladbach a right-wing extremist attack on a residential home for people with disabilities. (In German, 2024, WDR)

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Hungary

Judgement from the European Court of Human Rights:

“In a ground-breaking judgment today, the European Court of Human Rights (“the Court”) condemned Hungary for failing to protect the lives of institutionalised persons with disabilities. States must effectively investigate the context and conditions in which people in institutions die, the Court also said. The judgment sends a strong message against institutionalisation and guardianship regimes that continue to affect tens of thousands of people with disabilities in Hungary and beyond.” (2024, Validity)

Court rules Hungarian state authorities responsible “for multiple, grave violations of the rights of 220 adults and children with disabilities detained in the notorious Topház Social Care Home.” (2024, Validity Foundation)

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Ireland

We will regret treatment of young people with disabilities in nursing homes, warns the Ombudsman. (2024, Irish Examiner)

Regulator warned disability services provider over ‘unsafe environment’ in residential homes. (2022, Irish Times)

Ireland is tarnished by its use of prisons to house the unwanted and mentally ill (2022, The Journal)

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Moldova

Institutionalised neglect and psychiatric placement for mildly disabled child in State care illustrates systemic discrimination:

“The Court found in particular that the existing Moldovan legal framework fell short of the State’s duty (“positive obligation”) to establish and apply effectively a system providing protection to intellectually disabled persons in general, and to children without parental care in particular, against serious breaches of their integrity.” (2024, European Court of Human Rights)

European Court Judgment Exposes Discrimination and Abuse of Children with Disabilities. “The Court’s ruling sheds lights on systemic failures within Moldova’s legal framework, particularly concerning the involuntary placement of children with disabilities in psychiatric hospitals and the absence of independent safeguards to prevent abuse.” (2024, Validity)

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Netherlands

Inspectorate sees staggering conditions in an institutional setting with abuse of clients. (In Dutch, 2023, NOS)

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Poland

Horror Behind Closed Doors of Polish Residential Institution. “Women and Girls with Intellectual Disabilities Beaten, Tied, and Locked in Caged Bed” (2022, Human Rights Watch)

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Romania

Inhumane conditions and abuse at centers for children with disabilities. (In Romanian, Jan, Stirile Pro-tv)

Romania horrified by inhumane abuse in care centres for disabled “an investigation revealed that a well-established criminal network involving state officials and private individuals ran “Nazi camps-style” care centres for disabled people who were left to starve without food or care.” (2023, Euractiv)

Regarding abuses in institutions for disabled people in Romania a statement from the European Network on Independent Living. “This is the result of a continued refusal by the Romanian Government to move away from institutional care and develop services that will allow children, disabled and older people to live in their own homes in the community, with adequate independent living support.” (2023, ENIL)

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Russia

Ingushetia disability care home accused of chaining naked patients to benches

“Following social media backlash over the images of the abuse, Russia’s Investigative Committee announced on Tuesday that they had opened an investigation.” (2024, OC Media)

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Spain

Work starting on a residence for disabled people an institution to be called: “living like at home”. (In Spanish, Jan, Diario de Almería)

Faeces on the face and ice water baths the torture of young people with disabilities in a residence in La Palma, and a director of the residence imprisoned. (In Spanish, 2023, SER)

A fire in a care home for disabled people killled one person and injured ten more. (2023, RTVE)

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Ukraine

Behind closed doors: children’s dreams in institutional care, a report:

“The findings in this research highlight the neglect inherent in placing children in institutions, the prioritisation of the needs of the institutions over the needs of the children themselves, as well as the clear lack of an effective system or mechanism for institutional personnel or government inspectors to gather children’s opinions or feedback. Far from listening to these children and acting upon their views, a prevailing “medical model” of disability in Ukraine – in which disability is viewed as the result of one or more physical defects - often leads to the assumption amongst staff of institutions that these children cannot communicate or that they lack significant thoughts. Similarly, the children are commonly perceived as “uneducable” and therefore rarely included in any formal education.” (2024, EDF, Save the Children)

Deinstitutionalization in Ukraine an online portal. (2024, Fight for Right and DI Ukraine)

The Rights of Persons with Disabilities who are Institutionalised in Wartime Research findings. (2023, Kharkiv Institute for Social Research) See also a blog from EDF.

Perils of War for Children in Institutions.

“The Ukraine war has had traumatic and devastating consequences for children in residential institutions, including forcible transfers to Russia and separation from their families. The impact on institutionalized children points out the urgency of the need to remove them from institutions and provide support for family and community care.” (2023, Human Rights Watch)

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United Kingdom

Autistic woman wrongly locked up in mental health hospital for 45 years. (Mar, BBC)

Scotland is not meeting human rights obligations on progress from institutions to independent living:

“The Scottish Human Rights Commission finds that people with learning disabilities and autistic people are still being held in institutions in breach of their human rights, and no evidence of a human rights based approach to end this practice.” (Jan, SHRC)

From Darkness to Sunshine: Blind Babies, Families and the Sunshine Homes, 1918–1939:

“The narrative of the overwhelmed and neglectful mother was juxtaposed with the benefit of institutionalisation, which justified the removal of some blind infants from their homes. The metaphor of the dark home and unenlightened mother was replaced by one of light and knowledge emanating from the brightly painted environs of the Sunshine Homes for Blind Babies.” (2024, Journal of Modern European History)

People 'locked up' in hospitals. Campaign group calls on the Welsh government to publish data and give more support to families. (2024, BBC)

Inside the "barbaric" mental health units holding autistic adults and children. “Nearly 2,000 adults and hundreds of children with learning disabilities or autism are being held in mental health units, with an average stay of more than five years, despite repeated abuse scandals.” (2023, Politics Home)

Learning-disabled and autistic people are being neglected and tortured. “Across the UK, revelations of institutional abuse keep mounting up, yet people are still being denied basic respect” (2023, the Guardian)

The shameful legacy of the Lennox Castle hospital Scotland's largest institutiono for people with learning disabilities, which closed 20 years ago. (2022, BBC)

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Canada

Manitoba's last institution for people with intellectual disabilities now closed permanently. “The closure of MDC has been pursued by self-advocates and families for over 30 years.” (2024, Inclusion Canada)

My sister was sent to a nursing home against her will. We fought and won, but thousands of others aren’t so lucky.

“Three years after my sister was wrongly assessed, a news exposé revealed that 2,900 young people with developmental disabilities were in nursing homes in Ontario”. (2024, Toronto Star)

Why there is so much happiness in this long-term care home that doubles as a Grade 6 classroom. (2022, CBC)

Making the invisible visible: an interview with Megan Linton about the harms of the institutional system, COVID-19, and disability justice. (2022, Canadian Dimension)

Discussion of and key points on Sheltered Workshops and Sub-Minimum Wage Labour 'Workers on average work more than 2 years in sheltered workshops, despite their label of “training programs”.' (2022, Invisible Institutions)

Warehousing disabled people in long-term care homes needs to stop. Instead, nationalize home care. (2022, the Conversation)

Invisible Institutions Podcast “a new documentary podcast exploring the past and present of institutions for people labelled with intellectual and developmental disabilities” (2022, Invisible Institutions)

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Mexico

Review of 'Bedlam in the New World: A Mexican Madhouse in the Age of Enlightenment' “a social and micro-history of the Hospital de San Hipólito, the first hospital established in the Western Hemisphere to specialize in the care of those encountering mental disorders and madness.” (2023, H-Disability)

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United States

Walter E. Fernald: Brief life of a complex pioneer of care for the intellectually disabled: 1859-1924. (Feb, Harvard Magazine)

Dismissed and Disbelieved: Some Long COVID Patients Are Pushed Into Psychiatric Wards (Jan, Time)

Nazi Ideals and the Disabled Inmates of Oregon's Fairview Home how five “inmates” fled from the institution after hearing a discussion of plans to euthanise them. (Jan, (Un)Hidden)

The Disabled Inmates Who Dared to Escape “The first in a three-part series about disabled people who fled violence that society demanded they accept.” (2024, (Un)Hidden)

How a Leading Chain of Psychiatric Hospitals Traps Patients

“In at least 12 of the 19 states where Acadia operates psychiatric hospitals, dozens of patients, employees and police officers have alerted the authorities that the company was detaining people in ways that violated the law, according to records reviewed by The Times.” (2024, New York Times)

Bed bugs found at disability, special needs center in South Carolina (2024, Local 12)

Autistic Students at Shrub Oak School Have Suffered Without Oversight

“This School for Autistic Youth Can Cost $573,200 a Year. It Operates With Little Oversight, and Students Have Suffered.” (2024, Pro Publica)

Algorithms guide senior home staffing. “The nation’s largest assisted-living chain uses a staffing algorithm; some managers say they quit or were fired after they complained it left facilities dangerously short-handed” (2024, Washington Post)

16,000 people with disabilities are in state-operated institutions. This is how experts say health care should change. (2024, CBS)

An N.C. hospital sues an 18-year-old to move to a nursing home. She says no. (2024, NPR)

Decades after state institutions shut down, their history could shape the country’s approach to prisons:

“Decarceration efforts led to the closure of psychiatric hospitals and large facilities that warehoused people with disabilities. Activists against mass incarceration can learn from the past.” (2023, 19th News)

Book review of 'Public Hostage, Public Ransom: Ending Institutional America' an autobiography by William Bronston. (2023, H-Disability)

Unsafe: Abuse and neglect of Arizona's most vulnerable can happen anywhere (2022, Kjzz)

At a Remote Mental Health Facility, a Culture of Cruelty Persists Despite Decades of Warnings. (2022, Pro Publica)

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Australia

Looking Back When Moving Forward: Researching Sites of Former Disability Institutions (2024, Social Sciences)

Listening to People with Intellectual Disability about Institutions “This article provides a model of inclusive research for turning the harms of past institutionalisation into an educational and reparative experience.” (2023, International Journal of Disability and Social Justice)

People with disabilities in group homes are suffering shocking abuse. New housing models could prevent harm. “This latest report shows 17,000 Australians living in group homes are too frequently subjected to sexual misconduct, coercion, serious injury, abuse and neglect.” (2023, The Conversation) See also the lack of independent monitoring of group homes (The Guardian).

Damning aged care audit reveals abuse and neglect of residents across the country. (2022, the Guardian)

Sites of conscience redressing disability institutional violence (2022, Incarceration)

Victorian government seizes control of supported care homes over abuse, ‘uninhabitable conditions’ (2022, SMH)

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New Zealand

New Zealand PM says sorry for 'horrific' care home abuse “The historic apology, delivered in parliament, comes after a report found that 200,000 children and vulnerable adults had suffered abuse while in state and faith-based care between 1950 and 2019.” (2024, BBC)

'An awful life': Former students of deaf schools speak out about abuse:

“Survivors of abuse at New Zealand's former deaf schools say next week's government apology will mean nothing without prosecutions against staff and fellow students who carried out physical and sexual attacks.” (2024, RNZ)

‘National disgrace’: landmark New Zealand report finds 200,000 victims of abuse in state care. (2024, the Guardian)

Whanaketia – Through pain and trauma, from darkness to light. The final report on the abuse and neglect of children, young people and adults in the care of the State and faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950 and 1999:

“Of the estimated 655,000 children, young people and adults in care from 1950 to 2019, it is estimated that up to 256,000 were abused and neglected. During the Inquiry period, 1950 to 1999, it is estimated around 510,000 people were in care and up to 200,000 were abused and neglected. The true number will never be fully known as records of the most vulnerable people in Aotearoa New Zealand were never created or were lost and, in some cases, destroyed.” (2024, Abuse in Care, Royal Commission of Inquiry)

The horrors of Kimberley “For over 50 years, the Kimberley Centre in Levin billed itself as a home away from home for hundreds of vulnerable New Zealanders. Behind the facade was a site of unspeakable abuse.” (2023, The Spinoff)

‘There was no respect or effort to recognise me for who I was’:

“Artist and dancer Lusi Faiva was two when, diagnosed with cerebral palsy, she was taken to live in an institution for people with intellectual disabilities. She spent five years at the Kimberley Centre, experiencing neglect, terrible loneliness, alienation from her Sāmoan heritage and a sense of entrapment which has inspired a lifetime of seeking expression and freedom.” (2023, The Spinoff)

Complaints laid after woman found in own faeces, weighing 35kg at a residential care home. (2022, NZ Herald)

Abuse in Care: “Men raped disabled children, paid staff for access”. Testimonies from a commission of inquiry into institutional care. Further coverage at: 'a prison with no bars' and 'you can't walk away from this'. (2022, Stuff) Also on NZ Herald: 'hellhole, worse than prison'

Chief Ombudsman scathing of environment at Wakari Hospital ward "We're mixing in this facility – not just patients who are mentally ill and need caring for – but we’re mixing them with those who come from a different forensic stream who have been involved in criminal offending and who are there for a very different reason; it’s not safe." (2022, 1 News)

He Purapura Ora, he Māra Tipu. A report on survivors of abuse in care, their efforts to restore their lives and hold governments to account. (2021, Abuse in Care Inquiry)

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