Ms A is a 67 year old woman with a learning disability who has been in the care of the local authority since she was eight years old. This investigation into Ms A’s care was initiated in September 2006, after the Mental Welfare Commission was contacted by a housing association who were concerned about her vulnerability. They said Ms A had reported being raped. When they contacted the police, they discovered that similar assaults were alleged to have taken place previously.
The housing association said that the social work department had not informed them of Ms A’s history of assaults and her related vulnerability. A key motivation for the investigation was the conviction that the circumstances surrounding Ms A’s experiences are not unique. Several recommendations are made that identify ways in which the Scottish Government, NHS Boards, social work departments, police, and professional regulatory bodies could improve our protective and judicial responses to people with a learning disability.