A new organisation to promote the rights and voice of people with learning disabilities is set to be launched at the House of Lords.
Learning Disability England brings together people with learning disabilities, their families and supportive professionals.
Baroness Campbell: “For too long, people with learning disabilities have been consistently let down, sometimes at great cost”
Commenting on the launch of Learning Disability England, disability campaigner Baroness Campbell of Surbiton said: “For too long, people with learning disabilities have been consistently let down, sometimes at great cost.
“The time is right for the voice of people with learning disabilities to be heard loud and clear. ‘Nothing about us, without us’ is needed now more than ever. I’m delighted to add my support to this new organisation.”
Services under pressure
The organisation is launching at a time when services are coming under increasing pressure and people with learning disabilities are losing out. Social care services and support are being cut, including funding for self-advocacy. Changes to employment support allowance and disability living allowance mean disabled people are poorer.
Alongside this, housing options are increasingly limited. Thousands of people with learning disabilities remain stuck in the wrong services for their needs, such as assessment and treatment units (ATUs). In the meantime, families often face a constant battle to find support for themselves and their loved ones.
Consultation with people with learning disabilities
The launch of the membership organisation follows a consultation with people with learning disabilities, their families and friends. The consultation also took in the views of professionals working in the learning disability field.
It will campaign on key issues affecting people with learning disabilities. In addition, it will provide support and advice to the membership.
Gary Bourlet, co-founder of Learning Disability England, said: “We are not equal in our society. If you have a learning disability, you’re more likely to die at a younger age than a non-disabled person.
“Learning Disability England will bring people together to fight all these bad things that are happening and to campaign for the rights of people with learning disabilities and their families.”
The new organisation intends to:
- Develop projects to support people with learning disabilities to speak directly to the media; and be more involved in the political process
- Bring together experts in various fields to help make policy stronger and more effective
- Work with a network of academics to strengthen the effect of research
- Establish a ‘Fighting Fund’ to help people challenge prejudice and discrimination
- Provide members with advice and support.
For more information, go to www.learningdisabilityengland.org.uk.
How Leaning Disability England came about
The idea for Learning Disability England grew out of the establishment of People First England (PFE), an advocacy organisation supported by Housing and Support Alliance (H&SA) since 2014.
PFE had a brief to support more people with learning disabilities to be involved in the media, and in politics, but needed more resources to make this a reality. PFE and H&SA decided to join together and become one membership organisation; this was partly inspired by Every Australian Counts, a successful campaign to increase funding for disabled people in Australia to live independently by bringing together disabled people, families and organisations in one cohesive voice.
Published: 14 June 2016
