News

Dominic Cockain, the man with autism who went into hiding with his father last week amid fears that he would be forced into residential care against his family's wishes, returned home earlier this week.

Duncan Cockain fled to Ireland with his son after an assessment recommended that Dominic move from supported living to a residential home (News, page 2, 7-13 September).

Dominic was threatened with being sectioned under the Mental Health Act 1983, said Duncan. He said: "His mental health was never mentioned through the whole three-month assessment process during the summer. It was only mentioned when we rejected their suggestion of a residential placement that came from this assessment."

Duncan told Community Care he will agree to his son having a mental health assessment if the joint service informs him of the aim and allows consultant psychiatrist in learning difficulties Mary Myers to be a part of the assessment process.

The family said Kingston, Richmond & Esher Joint Service for People with Learning Difficulties is to deal with the matter as a formal complaint.

Myers has already conducted an independent assessment of Duncan, given to the joint service, backing his supported living arrangements and criticising the use of the Act in assessments.

Meanwhile Dominic has received no day care services for four weeks, added his father.

In a joint response, Richmond social services department and Kingston & District Community NHS Trust, which run the joint service, said: "The imperative is for Dominic Cockain to have a thorough mental health assessment [under the Mental Health Act 1983] and we want this to be carried out in order to determine how local services can best meet all of his health needs."

The Cockain family has been offered an assessment by independent professionals which can include Myers, they added.