Kirsten’s autistic son was locked in mental health hospitals from the ages of 14 to 17. While an inpatient he was subjected to high levels of restrictive practice. Kirsten fought for him to be discharged from hospital and receive the right support in his own home. Kirsten co-chairs the Building the Right Support Advisory Group. She is a regular peer reviewer of health and social care systems for the Local Government Association. She also works with BILD in a new project supporting people with lived experience to befriend people in hospital who are subject to high levels of restriction