11 November 2019

The results of a published recent study revealed the unpleasant truth: not all professionals working in care homes have the necessary knowledge on proper enforcement of residents' rights. The report presented by the Seimas Ombudsmen's Office reveals that the rights of particularly vulnerable residents are often unjustifiably restricted; however, specialists, who behave with the residents disrespectfully do not perceive their actions as flawed because they lack the necessary human rights expertise.

Augustinas Normantas, Head of the Seimas Ombudsmen's Office, said he felt the need for such an unusual investigation when he realised that most human rights abuses in social care institutions were linked to the lack of knowledge amongst staff about human rights issues. And the frequent inability of the staff of these institutions to respond to such an important demand for assurance of human rights has a profound negative impact on the welfare, sometimes even the safety, and quality of the services provided by social care institutions.