(e) Where

behavioural and emotional development have been severely neglected. (1)Sexual abuse. If non accidental injury occurs in hospital or Local Authority residential accommodation, hospital manage ment or Local Authority can investigate and deal with it, but if the adult with mental handicap lives at home the position is complicated. The law relating to children—the Place of Safety Law—isnot applicable to adults even if they are mentally like children. Even the Guardianship Order under the Mental Health Act 1983 cannot be used, as according to the new Definition of Mental Impairment/ Severe Mental Impairment, apart from the arrested or incomplete development of mind, impairment of social and intellectual functioning, there has to be seriously irrespon sible and abnormally aggressive conduct by the person con cerned. If the parents or carer do not co-operate the only way professionals can respond to the situation is by the Local Authority going to Court to take away the parental rights and assume parental responsibilities. This seems to be a rather drastic step. I am writing this so that other members who have either dealt with cases of NAI to adults with mental handicap, or have suggestions for dealing with such difficult cases, may like to share their views