Learning Disability England Conference

Hi readers, it’s Kerry here this week, wanting to tell you about the annual online Learning Disability England conference I went to this week, because it was so inspiring.

Learning Disability England is an excellent organisation, who bring people with a learning disability together, along with carers and professionals (like providers of services that people with a learning disability attend, university researchers who work to find out what is going on in the lives of people with a learning disability).

One of the most important things I think for people with a learning disability is having the skills and ability to speak up, known as self-advocacy. Just stop for a moment and think about not being able to speak up for yourself.

How was that? Find it easy to keep friends? Get a job? Tell your GP how you are feeling? Tell someone you’ve just been laughed at, and called bad words by kids in the street, again?  No, not really, is it!

One of the things we do at People First Dorset is to help people with a learning disability develop these skills. Other groups around the country do this too, but most struggle with funding or have folded.

One great thing about the conference was so many ‘self-advocates’ with a learning disability speaking up. I think it’s important those of us able to speak up should go to this conference and other events that LDE run. Because together we are stronger. Together we can find out what’s going on in other areas of the country, and understand what is working, or not, for everyone in the UK. Together we are stronger to tell decision makers what’s not working, and how to fix it.

More next week on inclusive research at the LDE conference, something I’m very passionate about!

The writers of the Our View column are supported in their editing by People First Dorset - a charity led and run by people with learning disabilities with support from staff