Autistic adult who won't accept help?

My brother is 21 years old with "moderate austism". He's technically not classed as having a learning disability as his IQ is just over 70 but he has absolutely no social skills and can't deal with basic human emmotions. My parents put up with constant abuse and don't know where to turn to next.

Long story short we got a disability social worker but my brother won't admit theres anything wrong with him and will not cooperate with her what so ever. Because of this she says theres nothing she can do and if we don;t like his behaviour kick him out into the streets. She even suggested kicking him out because of what my parents put up with. This isn't an option because he would end up in a homeless hostel full of drug addicts and hes mentally about the age of an 8 year old. We've told him we might kick him out and theres been incidents involving the police and mental health workers and its just done nothing. My parents feel emotionally blackmailed into being domestically abused. We can even get benefits to pay for his living costs because he won't fill out the paper work because he doesn't think hes autistic. He doesn't work and says he will never work as he doesn't want to contribute to society and he wants to live in our house forever.

Where can we turn to next? We're waiting to see a behavioural expert with the NAS but they won't answer their phones even then we don't know what servce we're actually being offered. Does anyone have any advice?

Right now what we'd like to address is his constant abusive language. Everytime he sees my parents he has to swear at them or insult them to make a point that he can. Any suggestions in this area too?

Thanks

Parents
  • NAS18906 said:

    My understanding is that the Mental Health Act (sectioning) aims to protect an individual, or society at large, from danger. E.g. to intervene against suicide, dangerous psychopathy etc. The Mental Capacity act is used for people who are not a real and present danger to themselves but who are unable to look after themselves. It isn't done simply on IQ but it is able to cater for people who refuse to co-operate. If the individual refuses to co-operate then the courts need to be involved, otherwise an individual can consent to handing over their affairs to someone else. Obviously, there are mechanisms to protect a vulnerable individual from being coerced into handing over their affairs inappropriately so the courts can be involved in any case.

    I am not an expert but I know something about this - my father needed power of attorney when he suffered from Alzheimers and Aspergers - so he was in the position of being unable to co-operate but he wasn't a danger to begin with. I would start with a bit of googling and then consult with Citizens Advice or perhaps Mind.org who will direct you as appropriate.

    It depends whether you think he can be handled in a residential setting or whether he needs to be in a secure hospital. Forcing the authorities hand by turfing him out onto the streets is a very bad way forward - there are ways of dealing with this if you can find the right agencies.

    Excellent advice I think.

Reply
  • NAS18906 said:

    My understanding is that the Mental Health Act (sectioning) aims to protect an individual, or society at large, from danger. E.g. to intervene against suicide, dangerous psychopathy etc. The Mental Capacity act is used for people who are not a real and present danger to themselves but who are unable to look after themselves. It isn't done simply on IQ but it is able to cater for people who refuse to co-operate. If the individual refuses to co-operate then the courts need to be involved, otherwise an individual can consent to handing over their affairs to someone else. Obviously, there are mechanisms to protect a vulnerable individual from being coerced into handing over their affairs inappropriately so the courts can be involved in any case.

    I am not an expert but I know something about this - my father needed power of attorney when he suffered from Alzheimers and Aspergers - so he was in the position of being unable to co-operate but he wasn't a danger to begin with. I would start with a bit of googling and then consult with Citizens Advice or perhaps Mind.org who will direct you as appropriate.

    It depends whether you think he can be handled in a residential setting or whether he needs to be in a secure hospital. Forcing the authorities hand by turfing him out onto the streets is a very bad way forward - there are ways of dealing with this if you can find the right agencies.

    Excellent advice I think.

Children
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