The moving stories of how three young people and their families were let down by learning disability services that should have been caring for them are at the heart of a new  report from the CQC and the Challenging Behaviour Foundation (CBF).

Three Lives looks at the experiences of Connor, Kayleigh and Lisa in services for people with learning disabilities. The strong message from these stories is that the care for Connor, Kayleigh and Lisa was not based on their individual needs and did not put them and their families at the heart of their care.

The report is the result of an event chaired by CQC board member, Professor Louis Appleby, which heard stories from the parents of two of the individuals described in the report.

The family stories told at the event outlined the experiences of:
• 18-year-old Connor, who tragically died at an assessment and treatment centre after he was found unconscious after a seizure whilst unsupervised in a bath.  
• Kayleigh, who spent 10 years in assessment and treatment centers, including Winterbourne View.
• Lisa, who was kept for the majority of the time in a locked area at an assessment and treatment centre with staff interacting with her through a small letterbox style hatch.

Professor Louis Appleby, CQC board member, said: “The care of people with learning disabilities should be a touchstone for the values of the NHS as a whole and how the care system responds to the stories in the Three Lives report should be seen as a key sign of its progress on safety.

“Everyone involved in services for people with learning disabilities – commissioners, providers and regulators – need to make sure that they put the needs of individuals first and wherever possible provide care close to home.”