My daughter Beth was autistic and detained in a mental health hospital for three years, from age 18 to 21. She lost her life in the very place where she should have been safe and supported. She received no trauma-informed care, no specialist autism support, no meaningful therapy, and had no discharge plan. Beth’s death was preventable.

I am calling for the Government to introduce Beth’s Law to prevent further tragedies by ensuring:

1. Specialist suicide prevention and self-harm teams for neurodiverse young people, with tailored interventions that reflect their unique challenges.
   
   2. Reform of dismissive labels in CAMHS – terms such as “Did Not Attend” and “Would Not Engage” must be replaced with trauma-aware language that recognises anxiety and autism-related difficulties

3. Continuity of care and familiar staff – consistent, trusted staff trained in autism and trauma-informed care must be the standard, both in hospitals and the community.

4. Limits on detention in PICU wards – no neurodiverse individual should be detained longer than 3 months, as this strips away autonomy and independence.

5. Access to trauma-informed therapy – continuous therapy must be offered during inpatient stays and into the community, not denied with phrases like “not ready.”

6. Safe discharge planning – no discharge delays due to lack of appropriate community housing.

7. Accommodation must be autism-aware, with specialised staff, who are matched with each client. who practice emotion coaching and who are trauma informed. 

8. Women’s safety in hospitals – guarantee female-only wards and corridors, end mixed-sex accommodation, and enforce compliance with the Equality Act 2010.

9. Guidance and management of non anchored ligatures, which focus on The Human Rights Act, Article 2, Protecting Life.  Staff must provide care which is proactive and not reactive. 

10. All staff to be trained regarding ‘least restrictive practice’, ensuring that Items of repeated ligature use; eg socks, are removed from the patients room to prevent repeated ligature incidents, in response to Article 2 of The Human Rights Act. 
This is reasonable and proportionate. 
Inpatients who are using non anchored ligatures should be managed with a proactive and not reactive approach. 

Beth’s Law would restore hope, autonomy, and dignity for neurodiverse people in crisis. It would also protect women from retraumatisation. And it would prevent families from experiencing the grief and injustice we have endured.

No family should lose their child to a mental health system that is meant to protect them. Please sign to demand that the Government introduce Beth’s Law and create a safer, more compassionate mental health system.