An art exhibition in Harrogate is raising awareness of a campaign to better protect vulnerable adults.
‘From All Walks of Life’ is on display at St Peter’s Church until Saturday 7th November, featuring more than 100 artworks by local artists and community groups.
Contributors include the Hub at Autism Plus in Knaresborough, with pieces using paint, fabric, paper and mosaic.
Many feature shoes to represent people moving forward together through shared experiences, highlighting how hate crime, mate crime and exploitation can affect people from any background.
The exhibition supports the campaign for Christopher’s Law, launched by Fiona Laskaris following the murder of her autistic son Christopher in 2016.
The campaign says Christopher was exploited and killed in his own home after services assumed he had capacity to make decisions, despite a history of abuse and repeated safeguarding concerns raised by his family.
It is calling for a Vulnerable Adults Bill and changes to mental capacity assessments to help ensure authorities intervene when someone is at risk.
Fiona Laskaris said:
“There is an urgent need to create a legal duty to assess mental capacity whenever credible doubts are raised, particularly for decisions that could leave a vulnerable person at risk of serious harm.
"Too often, capacity is judged simply by responses given during a brief interview, rather than being properly evaluated against a person’s relevant history and concrete evidence.
"When a vulnerable person begins declining a needs assessment, disengaging from support services, or refusing consent to share relevant information, mental capacity must be properly assessed.
"Concerned families need to be listened to and taken seriously, not blocked out. Disabled people’s deaths must be properly scrutinised to learn from failings, rather than being brushed under the carpet.”
Campaigners also want a follow-up to the Vulnerable Adults Project to clarify how and when authorities should intervene in cases involving grooming and mate crime.
The proposed reforms emphasise giving vulnerable people the time and support they need to make informed decisions about their care and contact with others.
Visitors can view the artwork and learn more about the campaign at St Peter’s Church on Cambridge Road.
The exhibition is open daily from 10am to 3.30pm until Saturday, with an earlier closing time of 1pm on Friday.
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