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Real power? An examination of the involvement of people with learning difficulties in strategic development in Cambridgeshire
- Authors:
- DEARDEN-PHILLIPS Craig, FOUNTAIN Rob
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 33(4), December 2005, pp.200-204.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Securing meaningful involvement in service development and provision can be seen as a particular challenge for people with learning difficulties. This paper is written from the perspective of Speaking Up – a voluntary organisation that has developed the 'Parliament' model to give people with learning difficulties a strong collective voice. Through self-advocacy taking the leading role in shaping the way people with learning difficulties and statutory providers communicate, it is argued that the Parliament model enables people with learning difficulties to genuinely influence services. After considering the link between self-advocacy and user-involvement, this paper describes the Parliament as it has developed in Cambridgeshire and discusses whether what has been achieved represents a real increase in power for people with learning difficulties. It concludes with a short assessment of the potential for replicability of the Parliament as a model for other areas of the UK.
For the record: the lived experience of parents with a learning disability – a pilot study examining the Scottish perspective
- Authors:
- MACINTYRE Gillian, STEWART Ailsa
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(1), March 2012, pp.5-14.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
There are increasing numbers of parents with a learning disability living in the community. Research suggests that this group of parents faces disadvantage on multiple levels relating to poverty, social exclusion and discrimination. This small pilot study aimed to examine the lived experiences of 5 parents with a learning disability, to identify the needs of these parents, and to explore the potential role of advocacy in assisting these parents. The 5 parents had all been referred for advocacy support following the instigation of child protection proceedings. The study adopted a mixed methods approach including: a survey of relevant local organisations; interviews with the 5 parents; interviews with their 5 advocates; and interviews with 4 stakeholders. The findings showed that the parents faced a number of challenges not only in relation to their parenting role but also in the circumstances characterising their lives more generally. Parents were likely to be socially isolated and had limited support networks. Support services did not always meet the needs of parents with a learning disability, and joint working between agencies appeared to be particularly problematic. The study concludes that there is a clear role for advocacy in enabling these parents to have their voices heard.
Health, education, advocacy, and law: an innovative approach to improving outcomes for low-income children with intellectual and developmental disabilities
- Authors:
- ZISSER Alison R., VAN STONE Maureen
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 12(2), 2015, pp.132-137.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Advocates and attorneys working in medical-legal partnerships in the United States have become essential members of a multidisciplinary team that educates healthcare professionals on the rights of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and represents families when appropriate services to which they are legally entitled are denied. This programme description presents an innovative programme in which advocates and attorneys work closely with healthcare professionals in a paediatric setting to improve implementation of clinical recommendations and outcomes for low-income children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Since its creation in 2005, Project HEAL (Health, Education, Advocacy, and Law) has provided advocacy and legal services to 1,750 low-income families and children with disabilities facing discrimination and challenges accessing programmes and services critical to health, education, and psychosocial functioning. Client satisfaction surveys indicate that families who receive representation are highly satisfied with the outcome of their children's cases, and healthcare professionals report that their patients and families are better able to access complex service systems with assistance from Project HEAL. The innovative practice of incorporating advocacy and legal services directly into a clinical setting provides better outcomes for children with intellectual and developmental disabilities who might not otherwise have access to critically needed services. Involvement of skilled advocates and attorneys facilitates implementation of the comprehensive clinical recommendations necessary for the well-being of children with disabilities. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social capital, social inclusion and services for people with learning disabilities
- Authors:
- BATES Peter, DAVIS Fabian A.
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 19(3), May 2004, pp.195-207.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Both social capital and social inclusion have emerged as significant concepts for human services in the last decade and yet their inter-relationship remains largely unexplored. This article argues that, whilst they are similar in their vision for a healthy society, they adopt sufficiently different perspectives to stimulate and challenge each other. This can be well illustrated by reference to services for people with a learning disability. Commissioners and providers of learning disability services are encouraged through this article to harness both concepts in order to assist in the process of modernizing services and increasing life opportunities for the people they support. It is argued that it is not possible to understand the full consequences of adopting either theoretical position without an adequate understanding of the other. Examples are given of the implications of this for advocacy services, day opportunities, rural communities, transition and staff training.