Disability and Vulnerability

Individuals with a range of disabilities are known to be vulnerable to cuckooing, especially where disabilities impact on cognitive functioning, as in the case of learning disabilities or acquired brain injuries (ABIs). ABIs are injuries to the brain that occur during or after birth through external blows to the head, illness, or infection. Symptoms following ABIs, especially traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) caused by falls, road traffic accidents or assaults, include a range of cognitive difficulties that can impair people's ability to assess risk. Executive impairments are usually caused by damage to the frontal lobes and are associated with poor decision-making, planning, initiation, and risk-taking behaviour. ABIs are also associated with an increased risk of drug-taking post-injury to manage the emotional and psychological impacts. As a result, people with ABIs are often vulnerable to contact with drug dealers in local areas. This chapter will focus on ABI symptoms and how executive impairments and drug-taking, as well as their access to social welfare payments, can leave individuals with ABIs vulnerable to cuckooing. The chapter presents evidence from the literature and from Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) where people have experienced cuckooing of their homes.