Campaign to free autistic son from care

A man from London has launched a campaign to get his autistic son freed from care. Mark Neary wants his son Steven, 20, returned home so that he can look after him.

Steven was put voluntarily into respite care in December last year but his behaviour deteriorated and in April Hillingdon council made him the subject of a Deprivation of Liberty Order.

Now Mr Neary's access to his son is severely limited. The Council says the order was needed to protect Steven and people he might come into contact with.

A Department of Health spokesman said "These measures safeguard vulnerable people and protect their rights. It is unacceptable that before this law came in, care homes or hospitals were able to lock someone up or sedate them without their consent and without that person having any kind of right to appeal or protest".

Mark Neary spoke to Julian Worricker on BBC Radio 4's programme You & Yours.