Ministerial statements on Atos and the Work Capability Assessment
The issues relating to Atos and the Work Capability Assessments (WCA) have now come to a head, with Atos’s revelation that it wishes to exit its current contract at the earliest opportunity. ‘Disability’ Minister Mike Penning has replied in the Commons to a series of questions from MPs. It was a ‘lively’ session and the […]
Increased funding for Parent Carer Forums in next financial year
The changes to SEN provision continue apace… consultations, a draft SEN Code of Practice, parliamentary readings of the Children and Families Bill. It is clear that the Council for Disabled Children (CDC) will play a major part in the ‘roll out’ of SEN reform. In May 2013 CDC was announced as the SEN and disability […]
Seems like a good idea… Carers Emergency Alert Card
Now being promoted in my local area, and published by Stockport Homes with support from Stockport MBC… the Stockport Carers Emergency Card: Full details available here . Stockport’s leaflet bears the legend ‘Peace of Mind for Carers’: the scheme may not quite deliver that entirely, but it seems a good idea. The best way to […]
The young people failed by society’s tyranny of the norm
A heart-felt article in the Guardian Comment section, by journalist Rhiannon Lucy Cosslett, about her learning disabled brother and his experiences of SEN provision, provoked a large and generally well-argued response from readers. This article was itself was written in response to the publicity given to celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s own account of his education (Oliver […]
The listening exercise on the review of the Adult Autism Strategy…
4th February: a busy day for Minsister Norman Lamb as he fielded questions on the adult autism strategy, or more specifically on the listening exercise on the review of the adult autism strategy. The implementation of this strategy – which has taken 3 years, so far – has not not been without its problems! For […]
Work Capability Assessment and learning disability – judicial review pending
On 4th December 2013, the Independent reported a landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal under the headline: “Fitness to work test DOES disadvantage mentally ill: Court of Appeal upholds ruling against Government. Hundreds of thousands of people with learning difficulties, mental health problems and autism have to go through the Work Capability Assesment to […]
Learning Disability and Apprenticeships
I think our our congratulations and thanks are owed to Liberal Democrat peer, Lord Addington, who on 30th Jan 2014, requested written answers from the government to a series of related questions on learning disability and employment, and specifically on apprenticships and on the concept reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010. To ask Her […]
Petition: Stop the False Economy of Cutting Benefits for Disabled and Vulnerable Adults.
A group of Surrey-based parents are petitioning all three main party leaders, David Cameron, Nick Clegg, and Ed Miliband, to stop the cutting of benefits for disabled and vulnerable adults in society. The group has started the petition,entitled “Stop the False Economy of Cutting Benefits for Disabled and Vulnerable Adults. Ring Fence Long Term Funding […]
Top 10 Tips: highly recommended.
Just added to our Useful Resources page, a link to an excellent Top 10 Tips page on The Challenging Behaviour Foundation website. Highly recommended to the family carers of any adult with a learning disability. I have listed below the 10 topics covered to give an idea of its content. The Challenging Behaviour Foundation: http://www.challengingbehaviour.org.uk/ […]
NICE autism quality standard will help tackle ‘real variation in care’
A press release dated 21st January 2014 from NICE (The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) announced new quality standard on autism which ‘will help services address the current variation in diagnosis and treatment of the disorder’. Current variations certainly exist despite, for example, The Autism Act 2009, which committed the Government to […]