Transcript
NARRATOR
This is Eden's story. Eden has autism and mild learning disabilities. Eden's early years were full of failure. He was failed, moved from school to school where his needs were consistently not met, despite the best efforts of some teachers, and where he was bullied. He was medicated from the age of eight, thus starting a trend that was to haunt him all his life.
Once he got to secondary school age, Eden was left hanging with the promise of a school place for two years. Yet even when a place was found, it turned out to be unsuitable. During all this time, Eden was stuck at home without the education that was his right. As time went by, the indecision and instability dragged on. Educational opportunities were found, but not explored. Or, yet again, were just not right for Eden.
He was moved from pillar to post. But there never seemed to be any learning at all. Instead, there was very little understanding of Eden's autism. And his anxiety level spiralled. Sometimes Eden was drugged and bruised.
Eventually, he spent six months in a specialist hospital in Birmingham, where he got on well. However, the recommendations made on discharge for his care were not met. And so the cycle soon started up again.
All this was so stressful for the family. His mum's health suffered. And Eden's siblings were all affected. Yet, when he was at home his mum tried to help him with music, dancing, swimming, cooking, and other activities that he loved.
She says, all I ever wanted was my son to have a school and one that knew autism. Sometimes I regret ever asking for help, as I feel his life was taken away, and he has been punished for having autism. He has been failed all his life by professionals that I thought were meant to help. I have always been there. So he trusts me. But it is an existence. It is not a life. It's heartbreaking.
The years of failure took their toll, and eventually Eden was detained under the Mental Health Act at the age of 17. His life was about to get even worse. Eden's first hospital was a medium secure forensic unit. Yet, Eden was not a criminal. He had no forensic history. He was kept in long term segregation for a lot of the time, as he was picked on by other patients. He had no fresh air, no exercise. And he gained 16 stone in weight.
He was meant to be moved shortly after he was detained, as it was obviously the wrong place for him. But he was left there for over five years. Nothing was done to address his autism and learning disabilities and the anxiety that accompanied them. The answer to his distress was simply to increase his medication. His behaviour, understandably, deteriorated, and he ended up on a criminal section.
None of it was his fault. His mother states, he was locked away in a room with no toilet or access to one. It was horrendous. The CQC didn't help. I thought he would end up dying in that room with all the antipsychotic meds on him. Just meals taken in. We had long periods of good behaviour from him. But they kept resectioning him on a 37. It was easy for them to just keep him there.
At the age of 23, Eden was moved to another hospital, this time in Norfolk, hundreds of miles from home and in a very isolated location. Again, promises were made that it would be for a short time. Again, promises were not kept. He was kept isolated and fed food through a hatch. The medication regime continued. And there was no support towards acquiring any basic skills. Family had to travel a 13 hour round trip to visit him. But they steadfastly carried on, visiting every week.
Finally, after a huge battle, Eden's discharge was agreed. He was coming home to London to his own house with his own care team. However, effective transition planning was impossible due to the distances involved. There was no provision for local health and social services support and no crisis planning. Eden did come home. And he did really well at first. He was able to visit the family home and start to have a proper life.
Yet, the old mistakes were made again. Goalposts were moved. Promises not kept. And Eden's anxieties returned. He was recalled to hospital. And he is still there. They said it would just be for a week. But months have gone by now.
Eden doesn't deserve any of this. He is a lovely man with a caring nature. It is about time he was given the chance of a proper life. Bring Eden home.