Desperate Scots mum threatened to harm disabled daughter to get help during pandemic

A mother threatened to harm her Down's Syndrome daughter to force authorities to become involved because she was so desperate following the withdrawal of social work support during the pandemic, an inquiry has heard.

Eddie McConnell, chief executive of Down's Syndrome Scotland, told the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry the woman was "absolutely at the end of her tether" and felt the only way to get help was to do something "quite disastrous".

He told the inquiry many families felt a "lifeline" was withdrawn when they were told social care services could no longer be provided when the pandemic began, and many were left "on their knees" trying to navigate the pandemic on their own.

The inquiry heard the nature of calls to Down's Syndrome Scotland changed from pre-pandemic when they were generally about the condition itself, to being about issues such as stress, anxiety and financial concerns.Faryma Bahrami, junior counsel to the inquiry, asked Mr McConnell to expand on his evidence about the mother.He said: "We would never pass judgment on somebody that was so desperate that she was getting no support, in that person's case from social work, and felt that the only way to get that support was to do something quite disastrous, to in a sense invoke statutory involvement in her family, because her view was nobody was responding to her pleas for help so she took that really desperate measure and we absolutely do not have any judgment on that.Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.All you have