tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35145503720246496012024-03-13T08:11:48.741+00:00BombasticSpasticA look at life's quirkiness through a jaundiced eye and a mind open to all except that to which it's hermetically sealed...Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.comBlogger711125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-16024248391567605952020-04-01T19:00:00.000+01:002020-04-01T19:03:33.578+01:00Lambeth Council provides 'PA Passport' giving direct payment PAs Essential Worker status<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span data-offset-key="ehl7q-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;">Although we are all experiencing difficulties when trying to shop for essential foods and groceries, give a little consideration to disabled people dependent on PAs and support workers for shopping.</span><span data-offset-key="ehl7q-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Most support packages only allow for around an hour to carry out a weekly shop. This is inadequate at the best of times. During the past few weeks the cruel inconsideration of shoppers vacuuming clean entire supermarket shelves has caused real suffering to disabled people, many of whom depend on specialist diets.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Fortunately, in the past couple of weeks most of the large supermarkets have set aside opening hours specifically aimed towards elderly and disabled people (or in their quaint terminology 'the vulnerable'). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">However, some supermarkets have turned away direct payment PAs trying to access the stores as essential workers. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Last week I flagged this up to my line manager. I then suggested that a letter (a passport if you like) could be given to all PAs who shop for clients. A letter giving PAs essential worker status, explaining that the bearer of the letter is shopping on behalf of a disabled person. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I am pleased to say that Lambeth Council agreed to the proposal and has sent the 'passport' out to all DP users.</span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-18185875481919734472020-02-14T10:00:00.004+00:002020-02-14T10:00:59.287+00:00PIP PIP Hurray<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="6g3dh-0-0"><span data-text="true">As a person who is prone to anxiety, someone who views life though a glass half empty, the whole PIP experience was very difficult for me. However, the assessment element of the process went very well.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="592t6-0-0"><span data-text="true">On the day Emma was present as my companion. Emma works for dasl as a benefits advisor, working with clients with a mental illness. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="fb8ne-0-0"><span data-text="true">The assessor was very helpful, even assisting us with setting up the recording equipment (which Recovery in a Bin kindly loaned me - a big thank you to Lou). C, the assessor was polite, courteous, helpful and empathetic. The assessment lasted around 1 hour and 40 minutes, was very thorough, though personally invasive. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="4l02u-0-0"><span data-text="true">Last Friday I received a letter from the DWP informing me that my application for PIP had been successful. Following on from the PIP assessment on January 20th I found that I had scored 22 points on the Daily Living component of PIP and 12 points on the Mobility section.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="610jb-0-0"><span data-text="true">Very importantly I received an ongoing award. This means I won’t be reviewed for 10 years; and then, apparently, this will be a ‘light touch’ process. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="flv92-0-0"><span data-text="true">Of course I am relieved, and thankful that the process is now behind me – for a decade anyway. Yet, though personally relieved I still have many misgivings with PIP itself and more particularly, the process. Therefore I shall continue campaigning against this awfully flawed policy, fighting to get a fairer and transparent system put in place.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="7c8qb-0-0"><span data-text="true">Finally, I’d like to thank Emma, my PAs and GP for their supporting letters, Age UK and the people who read over my submission prior to making the application.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span data-offset-key="agklf-0-0"><span data-text="true">Very finally, I’d like to thank the assessor for carrying out the PIP process in the way it should be carried out.</span></span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-9389951053325215052019-06-14T08:04:00.001+01:002019-09-12T09:01:30.668+01:00LAMBETH COUNCIL: WITHDRAW THE NEW DIRECT PAYMENT AGREEMENT AND LAUNCH A FULL AND MEANINGFUL CONSULTATION<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">A social care and support package is a vital resource for disabled people. Many disabled people opt for direct payments (DP) to fund their care and support. A fundamental part of the direct payments scheme is Personalisation. Personalisation should afford disabled people flexibility, control, and of course choice.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Lambeth Council is currently rolling out a revised Direct Payments Agreement Contract (DPA Contract). Lambeth Council claims proudly to be a ‘Cooperative’ Council. Yet they uncooperatively refused to take our concerns on board.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Many direct payments users who are also members of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum (LPDF)have expressed concern over some of the revised terms within the DPA Contract. Indeed, some of the terms in the contract do not comply with Care Act Guidelines and are contrary to the spirit of Personalisation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Basically, by signing the contract disabled people are agreeing to surrender the flexibility that DPs afford them; by complying with the contract they are, effectively, limiting their choice in PA/support workers; and, losing control over their care and support packages.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Therefore, we the undersigned call on Lambeth Council to </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">withdraw their revised DPA Contract and put the document out to DP users for an objective and transparent consultation process.</span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="7si2m-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Signed:</span></span><br />
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<span data-offset-key="48lor-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seán McGovern (Co-Chair of the Lambeth Pan Disability Forum</span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-69670639629686744802019-03-03T18:02:00.001+00:002019-03-03T18:03:42.630+00:00The Reality of Anti-Semitism in the Labour Party<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span data-offset-key="9suc-0-0" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: large;">I was a member of the London Labour Board when Ray Collins gave us a presentation of his Review into Labour Party Reform. At the time there was concern amongst the board members at the party's ability to control the proposed £3 members. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Even prior to the £3 membership there were reports from social media of Conservative and other righ-leaning people stating that they would join as £3 members in order to cause trouble and sow confusion in the Labour ranks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Therefore, when Jenny Fornby looked into the 200 complaints lodged by Margaret Hodge it was unsurprising that only 10% of the number were Labour Party members. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">No Party, or individual, can fully police or control the actions of those whose only agenda is to create trouble. The figures Formby has published thus far do show that anti-Semitism exists in the Labour Party - and one anti-Semite, one racist, one misogynist, one disablist, one homophobe is, in each case, one too many.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">However, the numbers of ASs in the party do not reflect the levels of this scourge claimed by some Labour MPs. Nor do they warrant the scale of reporting by our, mostly, biased media. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">As LP GS, Jenny Formby is forging ahead and doing her level best to wipe out AS within the LP. It is a shame that the previous GS, Ian McNicol, wasn't as vigilant in dealing with reported cases of AS on his watch.</span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-34107459661461712742019-02-20T08:35:00.000+00:002019-02-20T08:35:12.369+00:00The Creation of a 'National Independent Living Support Service'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: small;">Comrades, Disabled people are being woefully failed by the state. Hundreds of thousands Disabled children, people of working age and elderly people miss out on vital social care and support. </span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-size: small;">For years social care has been a something of a postcode lotter. Given that cash-strapped council social services are not meeting Disabled peoples' needs new system needs to be established.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif;">ROFA (Reclaiming our Futures Alliance) is calling for a newly elected Labour government should set up a </span>'National Independent Living Support Service'. Comrades, I'd be grateful if you could push the Motion below to your Union Branches, Union Committees, Trade Councils and CLPs.</span></div>
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<b style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">"Conference, there is no doubt that social care is in crisis. A crisis brought about by years of Conservative governments’ ideologically driven austerity policies. Today we have a failing system unable to meet current need; and certainly, unfit to respond to predicted future growth. </b></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><b><span> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><b>Healthcare and social care serve very different kinds of need and the overwhelming majority of disabled people who receive social care do not receive healthcare interventions through their packages. Thus, making the NHS responsible for social care which medicalises the service. This is not the answer.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><b>A National Independent Living Support Service is the way forward; a resource that best affords disabled people choice, control and independence. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><b>Therefore, this Conference calls upon a newly elected Labour government to establish a National Independent Living Support Service (NILSS). A Service that:<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">gives new universal right to independent living<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">is enshrined in law and delivered through a new national independent living service co-created between government and Disabled people,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">is funded through general taxation and managed by central government,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;">is free at the point of need,<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;">·<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]--></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 24px;"><b>is led by Disabled people and delivered locally in co-production with Disabled people."</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-19121050545011330972019-02-09T00:25:00.001+00:002019-02-09T00:25:58.954+00:00The DLL Conference Ignores Disabled 'Service Users' in its Workshops<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: black;">I am very saddened to read that the speakers on Social Care the Crisis does not include a disabled representative who uses a social care package or represents disabled people – </span>Toni Scott (author and carer), Henry Bamford (social worker), Ellen Lebethe (Chair, Lambeth Pensioners Action Group), Rita Chamber (Social Care Commissioner). <span style="background-color: white; color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Indeed, this is exactly the way Lambeth Council has treated, and continues to treat disabled people. A couple of years ago when LC formed an Equalities Commission they failed, and refused, to include a single disabled 'service user'. Instead, they chose a list of 20+ Commissioners to make decisions that impact directly, and usually detrimentally, upon disabled peoples lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">At the time I flagged up this anomalous situation. Surely this was an oversight easily remedied by co-opting disabled ‘service users’, and DPOs, onto the Commission. No. This wasn’t an oversight. The Council reps gave their reason: “This could prove difficult. How would we select the disabled people and DPOs?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Disabled people in Lambeth are used to being ignored by their ‘Co-operative’ Council. The concept of ‘nothing about us without us’ is lost on the mentality of politicians who view social care as a pinch on the public purse; people who instruct their officers to deliver the service as they see fit provided it is pared to the bone, and beyond.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">While carers, social workers, pensioner representatives and social care commissioners will deliver a workshop around ‘Social Care and the Crisis’, I argue that their narrative will be very different to those of us with the lived experience. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Could someone answer these questions? If we wanted to know about LGBTQ experiences would we approach a straight man as a competent representative of gay and lesbian people? If we wished to learn about how period poverty impacts on women would we ask a 30-something bloke? How about if we desired to learn about the fear that our Black friends experience around the hostile environment created by this government, we certainly wouldn’t pose the question to a white middle-class person.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some weeks ago, I volunteered to as a speaker in this workshop. Why me? you may ask. Well here are a few reasons:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I am a disabled person who has campaigned for equal rights for three decades.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I receive a social care package that I’ve managed for twelve years<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I work as a direct payment officer in Lambeth<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I understand the Equality and Care Acts<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I get and live by the social model of disability<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I was the Unite Branch Secretary of the five London Remploy factories <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I Chaired Unite’s Disabled Members Committee for twelve years<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I Chair the TUC Disabled Workers Committee<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I am the Disabled Representative on the TUC General Council<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: "Century Gothic"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Century Gothic";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">10.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"></span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;">I’m a member of DPAC<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why am I forced to compare the DLL with Lambeth Council? Why is the DLL ignoring the voice of disabled people? We’re Socialists. Surely, we’re above the practices of our Right-wing Labour Council? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-size: small;">As disabled people prepare to face another tranche of service cuts, we need support and solidarity from all good Left activists. If we can’t look to groups such as the DLL to march alongside us, then we are indeed lost. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-4328179166900020522019-01-17T23:42:00.004+00:002019-01-17T23:42:35.120+00:00Corbyn is correct in not pushing for a peoples vote on Brexit<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Labour could potentially lose it's midlands and northern heartlands, most of whom voted 'leave', if he pushes the clamour for a People's Vote.</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Jesus Christ, doesn't the fact that Brexit won against the odds mean anything to people? People in the poorest areas of the UK are fucked and have been continuously fucked under Thatcher, Major, Blair, Brown and Cameron. </span><br style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;" /><br style="caret-color: rgb(29, 33, 41); color: #1d2129;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Brexit, like the election of Trump</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="color: #1d2129; display: inline;"> in the US, is the reaction of people who feel disenfranchised from the centre. Arguing with someone who lives in precarious housing, with an equally precarious job, or none at all, who sees their kids going into schools in a failing education system, who have difficulty accessing health care due to the running down of our NHS, is pointless. They'll argue: "What the fuck else have I got to lose?"<br /><br />And do you know what, I have every sympathy with sisters and brothers ground down by the system and ignored by those in authority.<br /><br />Oh, by the way I voted to Remain and my views are unchanged, strengthened if anything.</span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-36471496751454254152019-01-17T23:10:00.002+00:002019-01-17T23:10:28.278+00:00Outrageous statements made at the DaWN GC<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At tonight’s Dulwich and West Norwood CLP GC meeting in addition to electing eight members to represent the CLP at the Labour London Region Conference nominations were sought for the London regional Board. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, the meeting was split along factional lines, after all we at the micro end of politics tend to copy those at the macro end, and became quite heated, sometimes fractious. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Anyway, a bloke called Peter Day raised a point of order. The Chair gave way to Day. Day complained that some people were without ballot papers. He then continued bloviating about the manner in which the information on nominees for the Board had been circulated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">He was told that information on the nominees had been electronically circulated. Day then complained that not everyone can access the information, thus disenfranchising them from the democratic process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maybe he had a fair point, maybe not. But, the Chair ruled him out and called for the proceedings to continue. However, by now Mr Day was very angry with the Chair, and possibly the world in general, and decided to ratchet-up his scorn for the Chair and proceedings that obviously didn’t chime with his worldview of things. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Not satisfied with the Chair’s ruling Peter clinging onto the microphone declared angrily: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>“This is the way benefits claimants are treated when applying for Universal Credit. They are forced to claim the benefit online!”</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What kind of person would seriously compare some CLP members who didn’t receive all the information available for an election to a regional board to the horrors of trying to navigate the DWP’s Universal Credit system?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The universal credit is an umbrella benefit system that serves to punish the poorest in our society. People are being sanctioned for falling out of compliance for the most trivial of reasons. Sanctions of 1095 days can be enforced – that’s 3 years without benefit! People are starving. People are careening into debt. People are being evicted from their homes. Homeless people are freezing on our streets. And, people are dying.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Comparing people who are unable to access political party information with those who have to access the very means to live is an utter disgrace. There should be no place in the Labour Party for people who casually make such abhorrent statements, who have a scant understanding of the realities of Tory austerity Britain.</span><span style="font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-61263169365213789682019-01-10T17:58:00.000+00:002019-01-10T17:58:05.762+00:00A National Independent Living Service<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">ROFA</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance </span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 24.0pt;">Independent Living for the Future</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Foreword</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">So long as we live under a system that puts profit
before people, we will need to struggle to secure the resources required to
support Disabled people to access the same rights and opportunities as
non-Disabled people. That struggle will take different forms at different times
depending upon the attacks we find ourselves facing and the reforms we consider
most urgently needed under particular circumstances. Throughout, it is
important that we do not lose sight of the bigger picture that we are fighting
for, of a society where each person is valued for their diverse, personal worth
rather than their ability to labour and produce profit, and where each person
is able to truly fulfil their diverse, personal potential. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">As desperate as times currently are, we are sadly a
long way off from achieving a society founded upon principles of fairness and
social justice. Nevertheless, the demands that we make and the reforms we lobby
for must be consistent with that wider vision. The way that the personalisation
agenda, sold to local authorities on the basis that it would produce cost
savings and tied to the marketisation of social care, has effectively undermined
Disabled people’s rights and freedoms is a prime example of the dangers of
focusing on reforms in isolation from wider social principles. It is therefore
important that Disabled campaigners continuously review our vision and our
demands.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Grassroots campaigning by Deaf and Disabled people
since 2010 has been focused heavily on social rights, especially on to the
right to independent living and being included in the community as set out in
Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of Disabled People (UNCRPD). </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Article 19 – Living independently
and being included in the community</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">States Parties to the present
Convention recognize the equal right of all persons with disabilities to live
in the community, with choices equal to others, and shall take effective and
appropriate measures to facilitate full enjoyment by persons with disabilities
of this right and their full inclusion and participation in the community,
including by ensuring that:</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">a) Persons with disabilities have
the opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom they
live on an equal basis with others and are not obliged to live in a particular
living arrangement;</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">b) Persons with disabilities have
access to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services,
including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in the
community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">c) Community services and
facilities for the general population are available on an equal basis to
persons with disabilities and are responsive to their needs.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">This is for a number of reasons:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Measures
imposed through ‘austerity’ and devastating cuts in social care are having
serious adverse impacts that directly affect Disabled people’s rights and
freedoms in exactly those areas set out in Article 19. Instead of closing
Assessment and Treatment Units and moving people with learning
difficulties and autism back to their communities, it has become more
common for Disabled people to be sent many miles from their homes,
families and friends due to a chronic lack of local provision. People with
mental health diagnoses may also be sent a long way away for treatment.
Local authorities and Clinical Commissioning Groups are introducing
maximum expenditure policies which threaten to force Disabled people into
residential care against their wishes. The General Comment on Article 19
published by the UN disability committee in 2017 made clear that
institutionalisation of Disabled people can also occur in people’s own
homes, when their basic needs are neglected and they are denied the
support they need to leave the house and participate in the community. The
rights to independent living and being included in the community set out
in Article 19 provide a clear guide to the rights that Disabled people
should be able to enjoy and a measurement framework for progression.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l32 level1 lfo2; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Austerity
measures are disproportionately affecting Disabled people’s right to an
adequate standard of living as set out in the UNCRPD. New assessment
processes such as the WCA and PIP arbitrarily divide disabled people into
the “genuine” and the “undeserving”. These assessments are informed not by
Disabled people’s lived experience of impairment, but by insurance
companies aiming to limit claims. The huge reduction in financial support
available to many disabled people under ESA and PIP reform, combined with
delays and failures in the assessment process has resulted in increased
poverty and a well-documented deterioration in our wellbeing and quality of
life. A number of benefit claimants are being forced to cut down on food
and heating, use food banks and borrow money that they are ill-equipped to
return, which is traumatising and, in some cases, has resulted in suicide.
Current measures seem to have links with a neoliberal approach within
which people who are regarded as wealthy, or ‘hard working’ are perceived
as worthy in contrast to people with support needs who are viewed as
second class citizens.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo3; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There
are some acute intersectional issues. Disabled people who have more than
one ‘protected characteristic’ under the Equality Act 2010, who experience
additional inequalities not covered by the Act (related to socio-economic
class, or homelessness, for instance), or have dual diagnoses (including
substance addictions) are especially disadvantaged in relation to
independent living.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l28 level1 lfo4; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There
are particular issues for Disabled People who are made subject to the
Mental Health Act 1983, with people from BME communities often affected
particularly badly, and people deemed to lack capacity under the Mental
Capacity Act. Some groups of BME service users are particularly likely to
experience the controlling rather than supportive aspects of the
psychiatric system. The MH Act authorises detention and compulsory treatment
for people diagnosed with a (serious) mental disorder when they/others are
thought to need protection. This authorisation removes their right under
Article 19 to live in the community, choose their place of residence and
exercise choices on an equal level with others. Detention and compulsory
treatment, whether exercised through an inpatient setting, or a Community
Treatment Order, also run contrary both to Article 12 and to Article 14 of
the Convention. Thus the UNCRPD Committee has recommended an end both to
substitute decision-making and to ‘compulsory treatment and detention of
persons with disabilities on the basis of actual, or perceived
impairment’. In both hospital and other settings, the UNCRPD guidance also
includes an end to the use of physical and chemical restraint. People who
are neurodivergent and people with life limiting chronic illness are also
subject to detrimental impacts caused by inappropriate referrals to and
interventions used on them within the mental health system.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l35 level1 lfo5; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
language of independent living has been appropriated by Government and
public bodies to justify the cuts they are making. Policy documents at
national, regional and local government levels repeatedly refer to
“helping people to stay independent for as long as possible”, often while
simultaneously claiming to be in accordance with Article 19 and yet
demonstrating a clear failure to comprehend a concept of independent
living based on Disabled people’s right to exercise choice and control
over our everyday lives and to access the same chances in life as
non-Disabled people on an equal footing. It is common practice for
essential support to be removed from Disabled people through social care
assessments under the justification of “helping” them to “improve their independence”.
Article 19 rights have thus been co-opted and subverted in order to
facilitate the retrogression of Disabled people’s rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
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<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo6; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
UNCRPD is a tool that Disabled people have used to draw attention to the
suffering and distress directly caused by government legislative and
policy measures where we have felt listened to and our experiences
validated. That gives it an immediate relevance to Disabled people’s
day-to-day lives.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l26 level1 lfo7; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled
campaigners are proud of the independent living movement and all that it
achieved. At a time when discrimination continues to exist legally,
structurally and within many parts of society, daily living conditions are
deteriorating and the odds against us seem overwhelming, it is enormously
important to be able to draw on a source of pride that sits at the core of
our shared identity. It keeps us going, reminding us how powerful we can
be and what we can achieve when we collectivise and are determined. The
right to independent living as set out in Article 19 gives us a clear and
relatively uncontroversial goal to focus on.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There has been recent debate about whether it is
useful to still use the language of independent living. We would argue that it
is. With certain audiences we are seeking to influence it may be expedient to
tailor language in order to be better understood and to convey our messages
more effectively, for example referring to cuts to “social care” rather than
“independent living support services”. Those are decisions that can be made
according to particular circumstances. However, to stop talking about
independent living and to shift our focus away from achieving a right to
independent living would be a strategic mistake. It would rob Disabled people
of one of the few things we have left to hold on to. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">If new campaigners come into the movement who are
only aware of the appropriation of the language of independent living rather
than the proud history of the independent living movement, then it is our job
to share our history and learning. We must also remember that the politics of
the independent living movement, based as it is on collectivisation and
grassroots struggle, will not appeal to all. There is a view that it is better
to find a ‘middle way’, acceptable to the status quo than to fight for the fundamental
reshaping of society, that is held for a multitude of reasons, some due to
internalised oppression and others not, ranging from an absence of hope that
real change is possible to a vested interest in maintaining the current system.
Where those political differences exist, there will be times when we find
common goals on which we can campaign together in the pursuit of reforms to
mitigate and alleviate the worst harms, but we must understand them as
differences and reflect on our own position within the context of our wider
principles and values.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Below we set out our demands for a national
independent living service capable of upholding Disabled people’s Article 19
rights and what will need to be in place to achieve it. It has been shaped and
developed through ongoing debate and discussion within the Independent Living
Campaign, set up in 2011, in response to the then planned closure of the
Independent Living Fund (ILF) and most recently through:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l17 level1 lfo8; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
independent living workshop at the National Deaf and Disabled People’s
Summit organised by the TUC Disabled Workers Committee and the Reclaiming
Our Futures Alliance in November 2017.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l17 level1 lfo8; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
2017 National Independent Living Campaign Conference funded by Disabled
People Against Cuts (DPAC) and co-organised with the Reclaiming Our Future
Alliance.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l17 level1 lfo8; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">A
Reclaiming Our Futures Alliance independent living round table held in May
2018 and follow up email discussions.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled People’s Vision of
Independent Living Support for the Future</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Introduction</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The social care and mental health systems are in
crisis and as a result Disabled people’s rights to an adequate standard of
living, to inclusion and equal participation in society are being taken
dramatically backwards. Rising levels of charging are increasingly pushing Disabled
people out of receiving social care altogether and leading to a growing problem
of debt and arrears<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote1anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote1sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote1anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">1</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote1anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote1anc;"></span>.
The joint report of the Health and Social Care and Housing, Communities and
Local Government Committees on the long-term funding of adult social care says:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">“The combination of rising demand and costs in the
face of reductions in funding has placed the social care system under
unsustainable strain. In its present state, the system is not fit to respond to
current needs, let alone predicted future needs as a result of demographic
trends.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Besides urging that research be undertaken into
actual and future levels of need and for corresponding investment, Disabled
people have long called for the radical overhaul of both the social care and
mental health systems in order to better fit a human rights approach to
disability. At present, Disabled people’s experiences of independent living and
being included in the community differ considerably depending upon impairment,
for example people with learning difficulties, people who are neuro-divergent
and people with energy-limiting chronic illness (especially medically contested
diagnoses like Myalgic Encephalomyelitis <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote2anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote2sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote2anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">2</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote2anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote2anc;"></span>)
are less likely to be found to have eligible needs under the social care system
while people living with mental distress are largely confined to a separate system
without access to the same sorts of support. Instead, we are arguing for a
system underpinned by the social models of disability and distress that can be
accessed by all Disabled people regardless of impairment or perceived
impairment. Our vision for a national independent living support system would
also eliminate the post code lottery that exists within current local authority
and CCG administered provision. We believe that all independent living support
should be free at the point of need and as the example of free personal care in
Scotland has shown this could lead to savings in other areas such as the NHS
budget<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote3anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote3sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote3anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">3</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote3anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote3anc;"></span>.
By building on what was most successful about the Independent Living Fund which
had considerably lower overheads than local authority administered support<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote4anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote4sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote4anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">4</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote4anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote4anc;"></span>,
it could also be more cost effective than the current system.<b>Terminology</b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Under the term “Disabled people” we refer to anyone
who is disabled by society according to the social model of disability. (See
Appendix A).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Priority Demands</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l24 level1 lfo9; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Set
up an independent living taskforce led by Disabled people to develop
proposals for a national independent living support service.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l24 level1 lfo9; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Explore
in co-production with Disabled people the strongest legal frameworks for
legislating for Article 19 rights, including enshrining the CRPD in
domestic legislation and developing an independent living bill of rights.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l24 level1 lfo9; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Make
a case for investment in independent living support, including evidencing
social care as a social and economic generator<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote5anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote5sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote5anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">5</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote5anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote5anc;"></span> and what wider benefits could be saved from
savings to NHS budgets. Model the amount of funding needed to ensure good
quality independent living support meeting need now and in the future to
uphold all Disabled people’s rights under Article 19.</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l24 level1 lfo9; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Educate
the public and promote the benefits of investing in support for Disabled
people. </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Vision </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">That the right to independent living as outlined in
Article 19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities becomes reality:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">“All Disabled people to have equal rights to live
in the community, with choices equal to others, and be fully included and able
to participate in the community, through:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">the
opportunity to choose their place of residence and where and with whom
they live on an equal basis with others, without being obliged to live in
a particular living arrangement;</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">access
to a range of in-home, residential and other community support services,
including personal assistance necessary to support living and inclusion in
the community, and to prevent isolation or segregation from the community;</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo10; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">community
services and facilities, for the general population are available on an
equal basis to Disabled people and are responsive to their needs.”<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Underlying principles</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l15 level1 lfo11; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Social
and human rights-based models of disability and distress</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l20 level1 lfo12; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
twelve pillars of independent living </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l8 level1 lfo13; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
National Survivor User Network’s Manifesto </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l31 level1 lfo14; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Article
19 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l31 level1 lfo14; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
UNCRPD Committee’s General Comment No 5 on Article 19 </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Core demand</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">A new universal right to independent living,
enshrined in law and delivered through a new national independent living
service co-created between government and Disabled people, funded through
general taxation, managed by central government, led by Disabled people, and
delivered locally in co-production with Disabled people.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Universal right to independent living</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The UN CRPD is not enshrined in UK law and recent
case law has weakened its application in interpreting domestic legislation; for
example, the judgment in Davey vs Oxfordshire states that “great care must be
taken in deploying provisions of a convention or treaty which set out broad and
basic principles as determinative tools for the interpretation of a concrete
measure such as a particular provision of a UK statute. Provisions which are
aspirational cannot qualify the clear language of primary legislation.”<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote6anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote6sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote6anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">6</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote6anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote6anc;"></span>
The inadequacy of the Care Act 2014 to uphold the rights of Disabled people has
been proven in practice. Disabled people’s concerns that the “well-being duty”
implemented through the Care Act would offer insufficient protection against
retrogression of our rights were ignored multiple times in the development of
the legislation. Our petitioning for a right to independent living as outlined
by Article 19 of the UN CRPD to be placed on the statute through the Care Act
was dismissed and although the statutory guidance refers to Article 19 (para
1.19), this does not have the legal weight needed to be effective. In addition,
it has not been co-ordinated well with provision for mental health service
users such as the Care Programme Approach.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">We call for new free-standing legislation to
implement an independent living bill of rights, drawn up in consultation with
organisations of Disabled People and enshrining their recommendations. This
legislation would be in accordance with the UNCRPD Committee’s General Comment
on Article 19, including its call to end detention, substitute decision making
and compulsory treatment and to put a focus on intersectional issues too. The
legislation would also cover rights to support which enable Disabled people to
access the same life chances as non-Disabled people in all areas covered by the
twelve pillars of independent living.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people’s rights under the new legislation
will need to be communicated in accessible ways, with an appeals process, legal
aid, legal status and legal support made available for Disabled people who
consider their rights to have been breached.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">This legislation should apply to all Disabled
people who are resident in the UK, regardless of citizenship or asylum status. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">National independent living service </span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The social care element of Disabled people’s right
to independent living will be administered through a new national independent
living service managed by central government, but delivered locally in
co-production with Disabled people. It will be provided on the basis of need,
not profit, and will not be means tested. It will be independent of, but sit
alongside, the NHS and will be funded from direct taxation.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">It will build on and learn from the success of the
Independent Living Fund, closed by the coalition government in 2015, and the
failures of the local authority care and support system. It will also learn
from the experiences of user-led Disabled people’s organisations (DPOs),
including those run by people experiencing intersectional discrimination and
disadvantages, user-led social enterprises and co-ops which have innovated and
developed exciting models of self-organised and self-directed care through
personal budgets and peer support. It will work with non-Disabled allies who
share the critique of the existing system and who work to the social models of
disability and distress.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The national independent living service will be
responsible for carrying out assessments and reviews and administering payments
to individual Disabled people. Individuals will not be obliged to manage their
support payments themselves if they choose not to. Alongside establishment of
the national independent living service will be investment in local service
provision so that within each <s>area</s> Disabled people will be able to
choose from a range of peer support options delivered by user-led Disabled
people’s organisations and co-operatives wherever they live. These services
will support them to exercise choice and control over the support they receive
and to manage their financial, administrative and employment responsibilities
including legal duties as employers. Local Disabled people will be meaningfully
involved in investment and commissioning decisions, as well as in researching
and monitoring how well provision is meeting need. Disabled people who are
involved in these processes will also be demographically representative.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The national independent living service will be
located in a cross-government body which can ensure awareness of and take
responsibility for implementation plans in all areas covered by the UNCRPD’s
General Comment on Article 19 and by the twelve pillars of independent living,
whether it be in transport, education, employment, housing, or social security.
The cross-government body will also be responsible for ensuring that
intersectional issues are adequately addressed. Rather than being ghettoised in
the DWP as the Office for Disability Issues is at the moment, this will ensure
that independent living is mainstreamed in every area of activity as an
equalities issue rather than seen primarily as a work and benefits issue. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l23 level1 lfo15; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Co-created
with Disabled people</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The national independent living support service
will be co-created with Disabled people through an independent living task
force led by Disabled people who need/use independent living support. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l30 level1 lfo16; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Anti-discriminatory</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The service will be designed to be
anti-discriminatory, challenging current discriminations on the basis of age,
ethnicity, sexuality, gender, class, culture, disability and distress. This
will include diversity and inclusion at all levels including organisations of
Disabled people and structures led by Disabled people involved in delivery of
the service.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote7anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote7sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote7anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">7</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote7anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote7anc;"></span>Funded
through general taxation</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Social care should not be funded through set
precepts or levies as evidenced by the difficulties encountered in Australia
with their National Disability Insurance Scheme<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote8anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote8sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote8anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">8</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote8anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote8anc;"></span>.
Funding through general taxation allows greater flexibility to respond to
changing levels of need. This could be done, as advocated by a number of recent
reports,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote9anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote9sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote9anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">9</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote9anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote9anc;"></span>
through “soft” hypothecation, for example a rise in National Insurance that the
public understands is in order to adequately fund social care. There is much
evidence that the public would be in favour of tax rises in order to fund the
NHS and social care, however there is also evidence that the public vote for
lower taxes and the creation of a specific levy earmarked for social care has
the disadvantage of insufficient flexibility to match demographic changes. Pinpointing
tax rises to cover specific areas can also be problematic in that it places the
spotlight on particular groups. Funding for social care should as with the NHS
be out of general taxation. Managed by central government </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The national independent living support service
will build on lessons learned from the Independent Living Fund in being
independent of Local Authorities and CCGs. This will eliminate the current
postcode lottery, which has increased since closure of the ILF<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote10anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote10sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote10anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">10</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote10anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote10anc;"></span>,
and enable greater transparency and accountability to Disabled people.Led by
Disabled people </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The governance of the national independent living
support service will ensure that Disabled people are involved and have a
meaningful say at all levels of decision-making with a governing body that is
made up of a majority of Disabled people. Structures will limit the involvement
of non-user led charities and disability organisations.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l25 level1 lfo17; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Delivered
locally</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Alongside the establishment of a national
independent living support service, there will be investment in the development
of Disabled People’s Organisations delivering local services in response to
need and ensuring that a range of options are available to support Disabled
people to live in the community and exercise choice and control over the
support they receive. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">User-led organisations will be resourced to provide
support that enables equal participation in society across all areas of Disabled
people’s lives, including Access to Work<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote11anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote11sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote11anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">11</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote11anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote11anc;"></span>,
housing<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote12anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote12sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote12anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">12</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote12anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote12anc;"></span>,
social security and financial advice and wide-ranging service and resource
provision.However, there must be monitoring mechanisms to ensure that local
delivery does not deny the nationally uniform status of the entitlement to
support, so that for example disabled people can move to different areas
without any loss, or threat of disruption, of funding or support services.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Service provision will include a full range of
alternatives to the “white western medical” model approach, psychiatric
medication and clinical treatments which are prevalent in mental health
services and to the re-defining of service user concepts such as recovery in
clinical terms. There will, too, be a wide range of resources which are
important to Disabled people who are currently disadvantaged by shortfalls in
intersectional provision.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Features of a national independent living support
system designed to uphold Disabled people’s rights</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The national independent living support service
will be co-created with Disabled people so its features will be decided by
them. However, the features below reflect ideas that would address the current
barriers experienced by adult social care service users.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Eligibility</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">In place of eligibility criteria, the service will
provide support on the basis of meeting need where it exists so that <b>all</b>
Disabled people experiencing issues that have a significant impact on their
ability to live independently and be included in the community receive the
self-identified support they need. Under the current system of eligibility
criteria certain impairment groups are effectively excluded from social care
support, for example people living with chronic illness and mental distress.
Meeting wider needs saves money in the long-term by preventing crises and
lessening the strain on acute services.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Assessments and support plans</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Assessments should take the self-identified needs
of the Disabled person as their starting point and self-assessments should be
available to all who prefer this option.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Assessments should be proportionate, without
compromising the dignity of the Disabled person or being overly intrusive, and
to be designed and carried out with the aim of genuinely assessing need rather
than looking for ways to make cuts.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Assessments should consider all areas of a person’s
life including the ability to socialise and participate in the community on an
equal footing with non-Disabled people, and to take part in education,
volunteering and employment, and not focus solely on personal care. Equally,
they should not be based upon the current approach that views employment as
good for every Disabled person, regardless of the realities of their impairment
and the disabling barriers they face.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Assessments and assessment reports should be
respectful of the Disabled person concerned and of the Disabled person’s
account of their impairment and their needs, even if this is not validated by
or is at odds with medical report or diagnosis. There should be a clear
distinction between assessments of need and support plans. Support plans should
be based on the wishes of the Disabled person even when they disagree with the
assessor’s recommendations. People should have the right to turn down services
offered that they do not want or consider appropriate.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">One-size fits all support packages such as reablement
or intermediate care can be completely inappropriate, and indeed, harmful for
people with energy-limiting chronic illness. Reablement should never be the
default response to presenting care needs, nor a necessary gateway to accessing
long -term support. Reablement services should only be offered if a Disabled
person fully understands the concept and agrees that being supported to do more
for themselves could increase function and wellbeing.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Support planning has to be genuinely co-productive.
Disabled people should be supported to fully participate in this process. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people’s wishes and views on how their
needs can best be met should not be over-ruled by a desire to cut costs, for
example replacing support with technology or aids and adaptations in
circumstances where they would reduce the Disabled person’s quality of life.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Assessments for the new national independent living
service will be delivered by employees of the service itself and will not be
outsourced.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Support package awards</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Flexibility should be given in how payments for
support can be spent, with no blanket restrictions (such as not providing night
support; not funding costs for Personal Assistants accompanying Disabled people
on activities; not allowing build–up of contingency funds). Disabled people’s
support packages must pay enough for:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people’s support packages must cover all
costs associated with managing the package and pay enough for:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Hourly
Personal Assistant rates that reflect the skills and experience needed for
the role and are in line with NHS pay scales and increase in line with
inflation.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Pension
contributions and sick pay scheme.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Compliance
with the National Minimum Wage.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Increase
in line with inflation.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Paid
training opportunities for Personal Assistants and training for Disabled
people in managing Direct Payments and managing staff.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Support
from local services with supervisions, management and conflict resolution.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l21 level1 lfo18; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Contingency
funding for periods of temporary greater need (e.g. when recovering from
an operation or short-term health problem) and for temporary cover for
absence of PAs due to illness or other emergencies or for if PAs
resign/have to be dismissed and replacement PAs cannot be recruited
immediately.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There will be no caps on how much support can be
funded to support an individual to live and participate in the community. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people will not be charged for, or have to
make any financial contribution towards, the support they receive through the
national independent living support service.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Administration</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people will have the choice to act as
individual employers or to appoint local services to act as legal employers for
the Personal Assistants they recruit and supervise and be responsible for
administration and payroll. The costs of using administrative and payroll
services of an adequate standard and quality will be covered in the independent
living support awards that Disabled people receive.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Payment Cards should not be presented as the only
or default option for spending support package funds as this limits choice and
control while diverting substantial funds to the companies running the card
services. <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote13anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote13sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote13anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">13</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote13anc;"></span></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote13anc;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Services</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Investment in local user-led services, including
those led by people experiencing intersectional discrimination, responding to
local need and the provision of services are informed by the views of local
Disabled people from all demographic backgrounds will ensure that a range of support
options are available.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">This will include:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo19; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Peer
Support Forums<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote14anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote14sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote14anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">14</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote14anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote14anc;"></span>, training, information and support for Disabled
people using the independent living support service. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo19; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Direct
Payment management, employment support and payroll services.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo19; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Independent
advocacy.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo19; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Social
security and financial advice.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo19; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">A
range of therapeutic provisions, including a wide variety of non-medical
alternatives and culturally appropriate options.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo19; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Independent
living aids, adaptations and assistive technology.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Monitoring</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Monitoring must be proportionate, and be closer to
the monitoring systems that were employed by the ILF than the burdensome and
intrusive monitoring mechanisms used by local authorities. The National
Independent Living Support Service must also be efficient and timely in its
processing of monitoring information, again by contrast to common practice
within local authorities. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Reviews</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Reviews should take place not more frequently than
once every 3 years unless circumstances change and unless requested by the
Disabled person. Disabled people should not be burdened with being repeatedly
forced to re-tell and explain how disability impacts on their lives; nor
continuously repeat their independent living needs. This would allow the
service user to forward plan their lives and the service provider is not snowed
under with case work.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Where possible assessors should hold client lists,
this allows for continuity, for both parties. Where a disabled person requests
a review, say for a change in circumstances, there need to be easy to access
mechanisms in place. Reviews, where practicable, should be carried out by the
original assessor. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Appeals system</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There must be a transparent and accessible
complaints and appeals system for Disabled people who are dissatisfied with the
service they receive or decisions made by the National Independent Living
Support Service. This must also be a system which Disabled people find
satisfactory in resolving concerns that they have raised.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Portability</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Once assessed and an independent living package is
put in place, this package should be portable. If a disabled person wishes to
move, for personal, health or employment reasons, and if their support needs have
not altered, then they should not be forced to go through the assessment
process again. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Steps to achieving our vision</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l16 level1 lfo20; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Office
for Disability Issues to be placed within either the Cabinet Office or the
Government Equalities Office to give it more reach across different
Government departments. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l19 level1 lfo21; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Formation
of an independent living taskforce with a meaningful influence, led by
Disabled people from all demographic backgrounds who need/use independent
living support.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l22 level1 lfo22; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Funding
to make a case for investment in independent living support, including
evidencing social care as a social and economic generator and what wider
benefits could be saved from savings to NHS budgets.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l27 level1 lfo23; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Model
the amount of funding needed to ensure good quality independent living
support meeting need now and in the future to uphold all Disabled people’s
rights under Article 19<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote15anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote15sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote15anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">15</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote15anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote15anc;"></span>.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo24; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Funding
of user-led research into alternative service options and culturally
appropriate resources for Disabled people.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo25; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">A
communications strategy for raising awareness about what we mean by
independent living, Disabled people’s human rights and the role of
Personal Assistants.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo26; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Dealing
effectively with stigma against Disabled people whether at political,
commissioning, or service levels, or within society as a whole.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l18 level1 lfo27; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The
funding of adequate training for government personnel, commissioners and
service providers about the meaning of independent living and its value, led
by Disabled people</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo28; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">A
strategy for investment in local user-led provision alongside closure of
institutionalised, segregated settings including long stay hospitals and
Assessment and Treatment Units.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l34 level1 lfo29; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Fund
work to draw up a case for investment in Access to Work, evidencing the
level of return on investment to the treasury for every pound spent on
AtW.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l14 level1 lfo30; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">A
review of Access to Work with a view to:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-list: l13 level1 lfo31; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<ul type="disc"><ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l13 level2 lfo31; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Overhauling
the scheme to make it fit for purpose, significantly reduce
administrative and financial errors, address lack of training and hostile
attitudes from AtW advisors towards customers, and replace the current
mentality of gatekeeping with a concern to adequately support Disabled
people, </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo32; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<ul type="disc"><ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo32; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Identifying
current problems experienced by existing and prospective customers and
ways to make improvements</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo32; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Ensuring
provision of a supportive and effective service for Disabled customers</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo32; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Expansion
of the scheme to support volunteering and work experience</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 72.0pt; mso-list: l29 level1 lfo33; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "symbol"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div>
<ul type="disc"><ul type="circle">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l29 level2 lfo33; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Improved
scope for Disabled people who cannot work regularly to undertake small
and occasional pieces of paid employment without their benefits being at
risk.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l29 level2 lfo33; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 72.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Rolling
it into the new national independent living support service.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Legislative and treaty change</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo34; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Legislate
for a free-standing right to independent living that includes an
adequately resourced right to inclusive education.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote16anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote16sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote16anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">16</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote16anc;"></span></a></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote16anc;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo34; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Implement
the appeals process under the Care Act 2014.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo34; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Bring
into force Section 1 of the Equality Act 2010 to introduce a
socio-economic duty on public sector bodies and dual discrimination
provisions.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo34; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Reverse the changes to legal aid that have
restricted eligibility for Disabled people.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo34; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Remove
UK reservations and interpretative declaration on Articles 24 of the
United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote17anc"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote17sym"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote17anc;"><sup><span style="color: blue;">17</span></sup></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote17anc;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote17anc;"></span>. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l36 level1 lfo34; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Amend
the Mental Capacity Act 2005 to give full human rights to Disabled people
and their families and to ensure that ‘best interest’ decisions made
reflect the will and preferences of Disabled people and introduce an
accessible system for people to challenge decisions made about them. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo35; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Bring
detention, substitute decision-making and compulsory treatment to an end
for all Disabled people.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Appendix A</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Under the term “Disabled people” we refer to anyone
who is disabled by society according to the social model of disability. This
includes:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo36; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">People
physical, mobility or sensory impairments</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo36; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">People
who are Deaf</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo36; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">People
with learning difficulties/disabilities</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo36; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">People
living with mental distress</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo36; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">People
are neuro-divergent</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l33 level1 lfo36; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">People
living with chronic illness and long-term health conditions.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">We recognise that not everyone within these groups
identifies as Disabled and respect that not everyone with these experiences
considers themselves to have an impairment. There is certainly need for wider
discussion and debate on these issues, however for this paper we have taken the
position that what unites us all are the disabling barriers and experiences of
oppression that we face and we therefore use the term “Disabled people” to
refer to all of us.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">For more information on the social model of
disability and cultural model of Deafness see: <u><span style="color: #0563c1;"><a href="https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/disability-in-london/social-model/the-social-model-of-disability-and-the-cultural-model-of-deafness/"><span style="color: black;">https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/disability-in-london/social-model/the-social-model-of-disability-and-the-cultural-model-of-deafness/</span></a></span></u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Appendix B</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The 12 Pillars of Independent
Living</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">These are:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Appropriate and accessible information </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• An adequate income </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Appropriate and accessible health and social care
provision </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• A fully accessible transport system </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Full access to the environment </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Adequate provision of technical aids and
equipment </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Availability of accessible and adapted housing </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Adequate provision of personal assistance </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Availability of inclusive education and training </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Equal opportunities for employment </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Availability of independent advocacy and
self-advocacy </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">• Availability of peer counselling </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The twelve pillars were developed by Hampshire
Coalition of Disabled People building on seven action points, originally
devised by the Derbyshire Coalition of Disabled People, which identified the
barriers to independent living and how they can be removed:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Information</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people require information on what is
available to assist with independent living.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Peer Support</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled people need the support of other disabled
people to discuss how to make best use of the information obtained and for
ongoing support.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Housing</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Disabled People need accessible housing. This may
be in terms of wheelchair access or in terms of support and advice in relation to
having one’s own accommodation.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Equipment</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Many disabled people need particular types of
practical equipment to assist them in living independently.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Personal Assistants</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">This is the one to one support that some disabled
people need to live in their own home and be part of the community.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Transport</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">This may mean improved public transport in terms of
physical access, information about the routes, more assistance for passengers
who are unsure about using public transport, and improved routes to take into
account the issues for disabled people. It may mean access to personal
transport such as the use of cars or support to use other forms of transport.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Access</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The most obvious examples concern physical access
such as dropped kerbs, level entrances to buildings and provision of accessible
public toilets. However, access goes much further than this. There are barriers
created by systems, practices and attitudes which prevent disabled people from
participating, for example, excluding people with mental health needs from
public meetings.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Appendix C</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">European Network for Independent
Living (ENIL) Principles</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">1. Independent living is a process of consciousness
raising, empowerment and emancipation. This process enables all disabled people
to achieve equal opportunities, rights and full participation in all aspects of
society. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">2. Disabled people must be able to control this
process individually and collectively. To achieve this goal, we provide peer
support and use democratic principles in our work. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">3. As equal citizens we must have the same access
to the basics of life including: food, clothing, shelter, health care,
assistive devices, personal support services, education, employment,
information, communication, transportation and access to the physical and
cultural environment, the right to sexuality and the right to marry, to have
children, and peace. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">4. The Independent Living Movement must be a cross
disability movement addressing the needs of all disabled persons. In order for
this to occur we must rid ourselves of any prejudice we have towards disabled
people other than our own and encourage the involvement of disabled women and
other under-represented groups. Disabled children should be enabled by their
families and society in general to become independent adults. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">5. Disabled people must obtain all the requirements
for equalisation of opportunities and full participation by defining their own
needs, choices and degree of user control. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">6. The Independent Living Movement is opposed to
the development and maintenance of systems which promote dependency through
institutional responses. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">7. Disabled people must involve themselves in
research and development, planning and decision making at all levels, in
matters concerning their lives. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">http://enil.eu/</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Appendix D</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The National Survivor User
Network’s Manifesto</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Our Voice Our Vision Our Values</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">We aim to: </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">1. Address the injustice and harm that have been
caused by cuts to public funding and changes to the benefits system </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">2. Make the policy of ‘getting the right support,
at the right time, in the right place, from the right person’ a reality </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">3. Pressure mental health services to make the
principle of ‘nothing about us without us’ a reality at all levels, through
meaningful involvement in decisions about our own individual care and genuine
co-production to develop services </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">4. Work together with people from socially deprived
and marginalised communities to determine their support and develop
alternatives </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">5. Challenge institutionalised discrimination and
put equality back on the agenda for mainstream mental health services </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">6. Call for a reform of the Mental Health Act 2007
to make it fully compliant with human rights and ensure that people are not
harmed or abused </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">7. Reflect the social model of disability and
promote informed choice and alternatives to medication 8. Reclaim, challenge
and revive survivor knowledge and research </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">8. Reclaim, challenge and revive survivor knowledge
and research.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">To see the full manifesto go to: <u><span style="color: #0563c1;"><a href="http://www.nsun.org.uk/our-manifesto"><span style="color: black;">www.nsun.org.uk/our-manifesto</span></a></span></u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Appendix E</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Inclusion London Briefing on the
UNCRPD’s General Comment no 5 on Article 19: Living independently and being
included in the community</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">To read the full text of the General Comment go to:
<u><span style="color: #0563c1;"><a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/crpd/pages/gc.aspx"><span style="color: black;">https://www.ohchr.org/en/hrbodies/crpd/pages/gc.aspx</span></a></span></u></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">In August 2017 the UN disability committee
published a “general comment” on Article 19. General comments provide an
interpretation of the provisions of a treaty. In this case the treaty is the
Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The following points made
within the General Comment are useful to note for campaigning within the
context of the current situation facing Disabled people in the UK and the right
to independent living</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></div>
<ul type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Investing in independent living is cost
effective because it reduces poverty and therefore the dependency of
Disabled people. – Para. 5</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There are NO exceptions to whom the
right to independent living applies </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Emphasis of the importance of addressing
intersectional issues. – Para. 15</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The General Comment criticizes
“Inappropriate decentralization, resulting in disparities between local
authorities”. – Para. 15(k)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Independent living should not be
interpreted solely as “the ability of carrying out daily activities by
oneself”. – Para. 16(a)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Article 19 recognises the importance of
a “full social life” within the right to independent living including all
“spheres of social life” such as cultural, political and leisure activities
and “shopping”. – Para. 16(b)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Institutionalisation is not limited to
people being kept in long stay institutions but includes where Disabled
people are confined in their own homes, isolated and effectively
segregated, unable to access the community due to lack of funding in
personalised support options. – Para. 16(c)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The obligatory sharing of personal
assistants is mentioned a number of times as contrary to the right to
independent living. – Para. 16(c)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Funding for personal employment must
take into account “human rights standards for decent employment”. – Para.
16(d)(i)</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Where a State party introduces measures
which regress Article 19 rights in response to economic or financial
crisis the State Party is “obliged to demonstrate that such measures are
temporary, necessary and non-discriminatory”. – Para. 43</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">“</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">State parties must ensure that private
institutions are not established in the guise of “community living.”” –
Para. 51</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">The availability of accessible and
affordable housing is crucial for de-institutionalisation. – Para. 53</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">It is against Article 19 to exclude
Disabled people who require higher levels of support and have more complex
needs. – Para. 60</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">All personnel working in relevant areas
including “civil servants monitoring services” need to be adequately
trained on independent living, both training and practice. – Para. 65</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">An end must be brought to substitute
decision-making and involuntary institutionalization. – Para. 83</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">There must be mechanisms to allow
Disabled people to appeal against decisions concerning independent living
and “substantial” rights to legal aid must be in place. – Para. 82 </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo37; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list 36.0pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; line-height: 150%;">Independent living in inherently linked
to inclusive education. Para. 89</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; line-height: 150%;"></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote1sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote1anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote1sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">1</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote1sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote1sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">An investigation by GMB union has
revealed at least 166,000 people are trapped in debt for their social care.
http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/social-care-debt</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote2sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote2anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote2sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">2</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote2sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote2sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Action for ME (2015) Close to
collapse: an interim report on access to social care and advocacy for people
with ME/CFS</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote3sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote3anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote3sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">3</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote3sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote3sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Both the Joint Committee report
and the recently published Lord Darzi Review into Health and Social Care
recommend the introduction of free personal care.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote4sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote4anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote4sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">4</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote4sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote4sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> According to the final annual
report and accounts of the ILF from end of March 2015, the Fund had a 98%
service user satisfaction rate and just 2% of the budget was spent on
administration.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote5sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote5anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote5sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">5</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote5sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote5sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Beresford, P. (2016), All Our
Welfare: Towards participatory social policy, Bristol, Policy Press.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote6sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote6anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote6sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">6</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote6sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote6sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Davey, R (on the application of)
v Oxfordshire County Council & Ors [2017] EWCA Civ 1308 (01 September 2017)
Paragraph 62.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2017/1308.html</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote7sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote7anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote7sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">7</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote7sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote7sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Building on work developed by
Shaping Our Lives looking at overcoming barriers to more inclusive user
involvement :
http://www.invo.org.uk/beyond-the-usual-suspects-towards-inclusive-user-involvement/</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote8sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote8anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote8sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">8</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote8sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote8sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The NDIS was financed by an
increase in the Medicare levy in June 2014 from 1.5 per cent to 2.0 per cent of
taxable income. This has proved to provide be insufficient funding, and there
are now concerns of a lack of public will for an increase.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote9sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote9anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote9sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">9</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote9sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote9sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> Long-term funding of adult
social care – First Joint Report of the Health and Social Care and Housing,
Communities and Local Government Committees of Session 2017–19</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcomloc/768/76810.htm#_idTextAnchor124</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Citizens’
Assembly on Social Care: recommendations for funding adult social care</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmselect/cmcomloc/citizens-assembly-report.pdf</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The Lives
we want to Lead: the LGA green paper for adult social care and wellbeing – July
2018</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">https://futureofadultsocialcare.co.uk/</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The Lord
Darzi Review of Health and Care Final Report: BETTER HEALTH AND CARE FOR ALL A
10-POINT PLAN FOR THE 2020s, Institute for Public Policy Research; Lord Darzi
June 2018</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">https://www.ippr.org/files/2018-06/better-health-and-care-for-all-june2018.pdf</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote10sym"><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">10</span></u></a><u><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span></u><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">See Inclusion London’s report
“One Year On: Evaluating the Closure of the Independent Living Fund”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">https://www.inclusionlondon.org.uk/campaigns-and-policy/facts-and-information/independent-living-social-care-and-health/ilf-one-year-on/</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote11sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote11anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote11sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">11</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote11sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote11sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">So long as Access to Work remains
separate – we favour these being rolled into the new independent living
service.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote12sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote12anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote12sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">12</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote12sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote12sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> We also favour Disabled Facilities
Grants being eventually rolled into the new independent living service.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote13sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote13anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote13sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">13</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote13sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote13sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">A report from the Independent
Living Strategy Group found that over a million pounds a year is spent on fees
and costs to operate the cards and that an estimated £1.5 million has been
spent by 71 local authorities introducing the schemes.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote14sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote14anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote14sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">14</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote14sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote14sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">These should focus on building
peer support communities and not take the form of professionalised one to one
peer support.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote15sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote15anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote15sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">15</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote15sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote15sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Both the Joint Committee report
on the long-term funding of adult social care and Lord Darzi’s review of Health
and Social Care recommend a need for data modelling.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote16sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote16anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote16sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">16</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote16sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote16sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">The UN Disability Committee’s
General Comment No. 5 on the Right to Independent Living and Being Included in
the Community made clear that inclusive education is an integral part of
Disabled people’s rights under Article 19. The UK government continues to have
a reservation on Article 24 and maintains its position of offering segregated
education as a “choice”.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="sdfootnote17sym"></a><a href="https://dpac.uk.net/2019/01/independent-living-for-the-future/#sdfootnote17anc"><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote17sym;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">17</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote17sym;"></span></a><span style="mso-bookmark: sdfootnote17sym;"></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Article 24 is the right to
inclusive education</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-84210295859749077552019-01-01T21:14:00.001+00:002019-01-01T21:14:27.958+00:00My day-to-day fight<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Saturday, yesterday, or New Year’s Day,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For me life goes on the just same way<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">At night I’m up hourly, my sleep’s hit and miss<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As my neurogenic bladder forces me to piss.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If it ain’t my weak bladder shattering my kip,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It’s the stabbing spinal pain giving me gyp,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Whether it’s a need to piss or relentless pain,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Everything’s controlled by my bloody brain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After an exhausting night spent in my bed<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I’m still totally knackered, fucking well dead;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And, the thought of a whole day yet to come<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Makes me nauseous and uncomfortably numb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I sit in the bed knackered; I’m barely awake,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Listless and torpid, thinking: “Oh, for fucks sake,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Either pull out your finger or throw in the towel. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Grab the day by its nuts,” I positively growl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, nuts metaphorically clenched in my paw<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I very painfully trip towards the bathroom door;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Maybe the shower’s hot and healing effect <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will make me feel human, a little less wrecked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now that I’m toileted, showered, and dressed,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">And on the whole feeling a little less stressed,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Looking forward to a little something to eat,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">A bowl of porridge and my appetite’s replete.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Preparing and readying me to start my day,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I should give thanks to my hardworking PA,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">For putting up with my moaning and gripes,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My support worker has earned her stripes.</span><span style="font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-48889993384185183622019-01-01T15:59:00.002+00:002019-01-01T15:59:42.748+00:00Barriers when shopping<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Sorry, Sir, the manufacturer fixes the headphones into place, the lead won't come out any further," explained the PC World shop assistant. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"That makes it extremely difficult for me as a wheelchair user to try out the product. Can I speak to a manager please?" I politely request.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Just a moment,” replied the assistant turning on her heel in search of a manager. Meantime I look at other headphones, one or two of which I manage to try on.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"What's the problem, sir?" I'm asked by, what looked like a hard-put-upon young man, who seemed on the defensive.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Hello," I opened with. "I'd like to try those headphones, please? However, as you can see the cable securing it doesn't reach far enough for me to properly try them on my head and over my ears. It's important that the equipment fits and is comfortable." I explained.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Fiddling with it the manager worked out that the cable was extended to its limit. "Sorry, sir, but this is as far as the cable will reach."</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Smiling at the manager I wondered if he was familiar with the Equality Act? In particular his duty under this legislation to offer me a reasonable adjustment.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"You do realise, sir, that we don't put all products on display,” chanced the manager.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"OK then. I won't ask to try those particular products." I batted back.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Actually, sir, we don't have to display any products."</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"OK, take everything from display then," I suggested helpfully.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Although his lips appeared to move the sounds that escaped his throat were not a language with which I was familiar, a lingua incognito.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Erm...harumph....errrrrr, hmmm, erm..." <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Give me a minute, sir," mumbled the confused manager as he scooted off rather sharpish.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">While he was away, I tried on a number of other headphones, finding one that I was probably going to purchase.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">The manager returned, looking like the fish that took the bait without being hooked. Unlocking a nearby cabinet he produced the headphones, unboxed it and handed it to me with a 'you-satisfied-now' attitude.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">On trying the headphones, I realised the cups were the wrong shape for my ears. "No, these are not suitable. Thanks." I said pointing to another set of headphones. Before I could explain to the manager that I was able to try them on, he began shaking his head and remonstrating.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">"Sir, you can't expect me to open every set of headphones. This particular pair are very expensive, and I won't be able to take them from their box," he finished masterfully.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Somewhat taken aback by the silliness of the man's comment, I explained to him that I was simply asking for equal treatment and that the cost of the product did not give it immunity from the law. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">It's as though as a wheelchair user I can be fed crap and expected to gobble it up while tugging my forelock for the privilege of being treated with contempt.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Shop managers, a word to the wise. You may well build barriers with which to confront me. However, I know how and why the barriers are built. But, more importantly, I am also well versed in the deconstructing of your flimsily built barriers. </span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 18pt;">Physical barriers can be removed, got around or scaled. It's the attitudinal barriers that pose greater problems, as well as a completely different set of tools.</span><span style="font-family: -webkit-standard, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-61022796088022203422018-12-21T08:24:00.002+00:002018-12-21T08:24:50.699+00:00Negative Comments Surrounding Disability<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">In an attempt to bad mouth a UKIP Brexiteer a Facebook user suggested that this kind of right-winger should be treated as someone with learning difficulties. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I found the comment was negative and derogatory to people who experienced learning difficulty, or disability. Was I right to pull him up? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Why is that people feel comfortable using disabled people and their conditions as a hook from which to hang points of argument. Those of us on the political left would not dream of using women, race, or LGBT negatively to promote our points of view. Yet, certain aspects of disability, usually areas around learning, neuro-diversity and mental health, appear to be fair game.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yes, I am a disabled person with physical and mental health conditions. Am I sensitive to the negativity surrounding disability, particularly those that are invisible. Yes, I am. But I don’t hold with bashing people over the head when they stray and use negative, or even derogatory, words and terms around disability. Talking to people, explaining to them why you feel their language and attitude towards disabled people is unhelpful and negative.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-78910752729601624122018-12-19T21:17:00.003+00:002018-12-19T21:17:46.233+00:00The Nasty Party is crammed full of scum. <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The House of Commons is a bear pit at the best of times (code for worst of times). A place full of baying yahoos more used to being fellated by dead pig’s heads during Bullingdon Club drunken orgies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">But then, some dastardly bastard has the temerity to mouth an insult at the prime minister. Forget that those complaining voted in a cavalier manner to consign millions to the vagaries of universal credit. That these, the same trough swilling neo-liberal pigs on a whim voted for the scrapping of the disability premium attached to employment support allowance. Or, that these are the representatives of the Nasty Party who have continued to dismiss the thousands of deaths of disabled people through the work capability assessment…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If Tories gave a scintilla of concern for the lives they are wrecking in a wholesale manner; if they stopped for a second to consider the kids that go to bed hungry as a direct result of their policies; if they recognised that their vicious austerity programme has forced thousands out of their homes. If! If! If! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When the Conservative Party begin to act like decent human beings, I will vehemently condemn the manners of anyone who uses discourteous language. However, until that day the Tory Party can go and fuck themselves. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-36473043501383373392018-12-19T08:32:00.000+00:002018-12-19T08:32:48.081+00:00Depression, how to kick the blues.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What is it with depression? Why do I feel so blue? It's not seasonal as these dark feelings follow me all year around. Some days I wake up and think: "What the fuck's it all about?" I don’t think that the pain I feel getting out of bed, nor indeed the pain that dogs me all day, is the driver of the depression. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Late last year I attended some counselling sessions at which we tried to address the anger I feel. This year late in the late summer and into early autumn I underwent more counselling, this time in an attempt to dig down to the source of the depression. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After six sessions I came away none the wiser as to why the depression manifests itself at inexplicable times. We did discuss areas of my life such as the traumatic head injury I received when I was sixteen. Though this injury left me with quite erratic mood swings, I don’t recall feeling depressed in the way I do today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At a consultation last week my GP suggest anti-depressants. For years I’ve shunned medication for depression. At the moment I take four different types of pain-killers, antispastic meds, meds for an overactive bladder, pills for cholesterol, potions for my bowels, medicine to deal with antacid, asthma pumps and even medicated shampoo. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">At times I feel like a maraca as I rattle along, so I’m disinclined to pop more pills. My GP suggested Citalopram or Sertraline, another steroid med was mentioned but with a caveat of weight gain. I told the GP I would have a think about going down the anti-depressant road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Can anyone out there advise me on the efficaciousness of Citalopram or Sertraline, or the downside to these meds?</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-70820973774550775602018-11-30T08:20:00.003+00:002018-11-30T10:16:37.084+00:00Change of Venue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;">A message to people attending the 'Scrap Universal Credit' event in Westminster on Monday 3rd December. The event has been moved to Committee Room 10 in the House of Commons, Palace of Westminster, SW1 0AA. The event will take place at the same time, from 2 pm to 4 pm.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;">Again, could you allow plenty of time to transit through security and the Palace of Westminster. I look forward to seeing you on Monday afternoon.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;">Apologies for any inconvenience.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;">In Solidarity</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #26282a; font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 21.33333396911621px;">Sean</span><br />
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-77751401341633883912018-11-21T08:06:00.001+00:002018-11-29T09:35:11.643+00:00STOP AND SCRAP UNIVERSAL CREDIT<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: medium;">For the past eight years disabled <span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">people have been subject to vicious attacks across all areas of our lives caused by the disproportionate impact of austerity measures and the dismantling of the welfare system. Social cuts have led to human catastrophe. This misery continues and will continue to spread misery and poverty as Universal Credit is more widely rolled out catching disabled people in its net.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The trade union movement, including the TUC, Unite the Union and its Community Branches have all condemned UC, calling for its scrapping. Campaigning groups such as Disabled People Against Cuts as well as Disabled People’s Organisations and grassroots disabled groups share one voice in their condemnation of what is properly viewed as a fatally flawed system.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">Given there could be an election next spring we must look to ensuring an incoming Labour government scraps UC. However, we must be ready to assist our government in working on a replacement system. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">The TUC Disabled Workers Committee, Unite the Union and Disabled People Against Cuts would like to invite disabled people caught up in the universal credit net as well as disabled people who wish to contribute to seeking its replacement to a meeting on December 3<sup>rd</sup>,<span style="background-color: white;">International Day of Disabled Persons 2018. The meeting will be held in the Wilson Room, Portcullis House, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">1 Parliament St, Westminster, London SW1A 2JR from 2 pm to 4 pm. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129;">Please book via: </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/scrap-universal-credit-tickets-52955799221</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>You will need to copy and paste the link into your search engine and follow the Eventbrite instructions.</b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">This is a ticket only event. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">The tickets are FREE and will be distributed on a 'first come first served' basis. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "segoe ui" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif;">You will need the Eventbrite ticket for entry into the event. </span></b></span><br />
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-61732706289892352342018-10-21T20:35:00.001+01:002018-10-21T20:35:08.034+01:00Access: Think beyond level access entry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Are you organising a Labour Party meeting of any kind? Well, if you are here are a few tips to ensure you make the meeting as inclusive as you can for disabled people. My suggestions are not exhaustive, but are made to give organisers an idea of some ways to meet access needs. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Access goes beyond disabled people's needs. Access can include child and general care needs, times of meetings, etc. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Level access spaces. ‘Changing Places’ standard facilities for disabled people. Loop systems affording people with hearing impairments the opportunity to fully participate. Well lit spaces allowing better access for people with vision impairment. Paperwork in a variety of colours and formats to suit people with neurodiversity differences. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">And the list goes on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Great. So, here we have a space that allows disabled people participation to meetings. Except…it doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">No, meeting the physicality of access needs is only part of the process. The space available needs now to be mapped out. If the space is designed to house 100 people seated, then this the number allowed into the meeting. This is to a) Comply with Fire Regs, b) Meet Health and Safety Regs, and c) Ensure a free flow of movement for all present.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Seating needs to be placed in such a way as to allow people to move to and fro with the least effort. Aisles must be wide enough for wheelchairs to comfortably navigate. All aisles must be kept clear including aisles adjacent to walls and doorways. Latecomers often enter meetings and congregate around doorways. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Meeting organisers need to appoint stewards to ensure that full access is maintained throughout meetings. The stewards would be responsible for keeping aisles clear, guiding latecomers to vacant seats, assisting disabled people if and where necessary, operating roving mics, etc. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When making vocal contributions people should be aware that even though they have a stentorian voice and don’t think a mic is needed, the mic allows people using hearing aids to pick up sounds. The Chair should include in their ‘housekeeping’ announcements the importance of people waiting for a roving mic.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-42500210946625189212018-10-21T20:21:00.001+01:002018-10-21T20:21:37.434+01:00Booking an accessible venue is only the first part of ensuring full access for disabled people.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Of course, if someone is trying to get past you in a tight space, moving 90° assuming a sideways profile and tucking in your tummy will probably afford the other person free passage. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This doesn’t work for us wheelchair users. We can’t make the profile of our machines smaller nor do we have parts that conveniently tuck away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">At last weeks Dulwich and West Norwood CLP meeting I was met once again with access difficulties. Feelings of </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #222222; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;">déjà vu predominate my mind when I arrive at almost every Labour Party event I attend.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This occasion on entering the meeting room I was confronted with several people who were standing along a wall blocking an already very narrow aisle. Eventually, the penny dropped and the people blocking ingress moved out of the way. However, by the time I had settled myself behind the last row of attendees, I noticed the people blocking the doorway and aisle resuming their former positions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I made a point of order the Chair asked for the space around the door and adjacent aisle to move. You’d have thought the Chair had posed a really challenging task for these people to perform.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">What part of “Could you please leave enough room for people including wheelchair users to move around”, they couldn’t process beats me. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The guest speaker then gave an excellent presentation on the issue of anti-Semitism. Sadly, the sound system decided to play up and she delivered her contribution without the benefit of a mic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">As the next guest speakers began a man walked into the room with an armful of chairs. He then positioned the chairs blocking me in. At that point, I realised I was wasting my time and I left.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I won’t be attending future DaWN CLP meetings until I receive assurances that I can attend without becoming the focal point of events. Being the center of attention as chairs and people move around is not my idea of fun. I simply want to attend meetings and take part in the proceedings under my own terms, not those set by the thoughtless actions of others.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-80217339080937581452018-10-07T20:27:00.000+01:002018-10-07T20:27:26.215+01:00Impose a regime of stop and search on the middle-classes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Stop and Search is tactic the police practice, predominantly, on young black men or men of colour. The rationale behind this trend is that these demographic groups are most likely to be involved in street criminality, such as drug dealing.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The policy of Stop and Search is counterproductive, in that it hasn't made any inroads into the illegal drugs market. Instead, it serves only to further alienate the police amongst many within black communities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While society looks down and frowns upon drug pushers, it seems to ignore that the illegal drug market is a two-way street. Why isn't society as critical of drug buyer as it is of the seller, pusher?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Sadiq Khan has voiced his concerns of people from the middle-classes fuelling the cocaine market, which in turn triggers the drug-related gang violence.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In September the Guardian reported the following:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Middle-class people consume more alcohol and illegal drugs than those living below the poverty line, according to a report by a cross-party group of academics and campaigners."</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18); color: #121212;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Again, pointing to the middle-classes and illegal drug use. Recently Richard O'Brien, on LBC, posited the idea that since the middle-classes are part of the illegal drug problem in London and by association the gang-violence, that the police should extend stop and search to white middle-class people.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #121212; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18);">Imagine such a policy being introduced. The howls of indignation emanating from the gentrified corners of Brixton, Clapham, into Battersea and Chelsea. Cries of infringement of civil liberties. Denunciation of the Met from the Ham and High. Hooray Henry's in Sloane Square sweating every time a panda car passed by. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #121212; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18);">Of course, the very idea is ludicrous. Why would you impose such draconian measures upon an entire demographic section of our society to punish the deeds of the few?</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #121212; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; caret-color: rgb(18, 18, 18);">You know where I'm going with this, don't you?</span></span><br />
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-61196278903432113852018-10-07T04:14:00.000+01:002018-10-07T04:25:29.390+01:00Empty apologies from my Labour Party Branch<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">While it pains me to say what I'm about to say, it doesn't surprise me. Labour's Coldharbour Branch is an exclusive club.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Last Thursday I went along to the monthly Labour Party Coldharbour Branch meeting. Again I was confronted with an access issue. The meeting was held in a venue with a high step at the entrance and door too narrow to allow my wheelchair ingress. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Most of the members came out of the meeting room, so once more I became the focus of attention. That fucking nuisance making life difficult, again!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Of course, I accepted their apologies for not being able to take part, and I went home.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I received a copy of the Minutes of the meeting from which I was excluded. No mention of Sean McGovern in the apologies. Indeed no mention of any access issues at all. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So, not only was I excluded from the meeting, but the Branch appears to be comfortable within itself to ignore the incident.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The Minutes themselves are also rather interesting when a discussion took place around equality. It was minuted that: </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"There was also in place a programme to fast-track BAME leaders and a programme to examine unconscious bias."</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh, the fucking irony! </span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There was also mention of the Equalities Commission report. I wonder, do any in the Branch know how many disabled service users or Disabled People's Organisations were on that the Commission?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There were none. Back in November, or maybe December, 2016 Lambeth Council held a presentation on the forthcoming Equalities Commision they were initiating in order to, I'm guessing, improve services for those who sit under the equalities umbrella (or at least those invited in out of the rain).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The council officer ran through a list of organisations and businesses. There were twenty-some, as I recall. On spotting that there were none of the Commissioners came from DPOs or disabled service users, I asked why.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">The council officer looked at me as though I as though I was a Cobynista at a Progress poison pen night. Noticing that the officer was struggling, the Chair of the event moved the business along - as is the wont of a Chair.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">After a few more hasty words the council officers thanked us all for our attention and the meeting moved to roundtable discussions; from which each table was asked to present the three main issues that would be fed through to the Commission. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">There were six tables, and so six spokespeople. Every single table had as their priority issue...<b>REPRESENTATION OF DISABLED SERVICE USERS AND DPOs ON THE COMMISSION.</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Did the Commision listen? No, they didn't. Back in the summer, this same non-representative body invited me to speak at an event in the new building in Brixton. The event was to discuss the Commissions findings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My initial reaction was to ignore the invitation. However, the organiser of the event telephoned me and we had a long and very frank discussion. Lambeth Council, I argued, had totally ignored the disabled community in the borough forging ahead with a set of findings that in no way reflected the needs and concerns of many disabled service users. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When I arrived I found that I wasn't a guest speaker, no instead I could ask a question from the floor on a disability issue to a group of Council Officers none of whom represented the disabled community. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I declined the offer as I refused to legitimise a Kangaroo Commission set up by a disablist council that has the temerity to think it can make decisions for disabled people without the input of disabled people.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US</span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-25079774875765072312018-10-05T08:26:00.001+01:002018-10-05T08:26:24.365+01:00Pick up your wheelchair and walk I was advised<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">For me, Labour Party Branch meetings are mostly terra incognita. The underlying reason for my absences from these meetings is the general lack of access. In the first place, meetings don't begin until 7.30 pm. As Thursday is a work day I am physically exhausted by 8-8.30 pm, and running on fumes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yesterday evening as I was feeling unusually alert I decided to give the meeting a go. However, on arrival at the venue, I found a 6"+ step barring my access. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">On learning I was outside several of the branch members came outside to discover what was the issue. One kindly gentleman offered to carry me in. "No thanks," I replied "I like to preserve my dignity when I can" I finished, tetchily. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Ideas such as laying a folded table down to act as a ramp or using a decidedly fragile looking whiteboard to serve the same purpose were proffered. It then transpired that the inner doorway wasn't wide enough to allow my wheelchair to pass.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">After some very kind words and profuse apologies all around I departed, homeward bound. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Back at home, my PA told me that one man, out of earshot from me, wondered why I didn't get out of the chair and enter the building. I'm now wondering, is this stranger a modern-day Jesus? Why didn't he approach me and say "Sean, get up, pick up your wheelchair and walk"? </span></div>
Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-26590925189783734212018-09-17T17:11:00.002+01:002018-09-17T17:11:57.788+01:00Labour must introduce a National Independent Living Service for disabled people<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are a number of reasons I will not support the call for a new Health and Wellbeing department; or indeed any service that tries to inextricably link independent living to healthcare. My greatest concern is that by tying social care to the NHS risks the medicalising of disability, or even over-medicalising some health conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Social care (or as preferred by many Independent Living) and continuing healthcare often serve different purposes. Most people receiving social care packages do not have any medical or medicalised interventions within their support or care plans. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">My medical needs are met by my GP, practice nurses and the NHS generally. At no point (for the moment) do I need specialised care or support outside the usual, illnesses, etc. While I look to PAs and support workers to assist me with personal care, shopping, laundry, and in the workplace. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The Needs Assessment itself does not need to be overly medical in its nature for many disabled people. Social workers and care managers aren’t healthcare workers, though many of them now fancy themselves as accountants or bank managers for the council. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my home borough of the 600+ recipients of social care who use direct payments only around 30 have continuing healthcare funding. This equates to around 5% of service users. Naturally, this figure is somewhat skewed given the difficulties faced when trying to secure continuing healthcare funding. Yet the people needing medical type interventions in their overall care would still be far fewer than those whose needs are predicated around living independently.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Many of those who argue for SC to be an integral part of the NHS do so on the basis that all care meted out via the NHS is free, while current social care packages can attract quite substantial personal contributions – or as we see it, a tax on disability. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">There are many within the movement who have a vision of a stand-alone National Independent Living Service; a service that would work closely with the NHS, social services, and all relevant bodies; a service free of charge at the point of need; a service funded nationally.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my view, we should be pressing a Labour government to set up a National Independent Living Service state-run and funded.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-7707818637846375952018-09-16T02:30:00.001+01:002018-10-08T01:55:21.760+01:00Currys successfully applied a reasonable adjustment for me today<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Due to the inaccessibility of many shops, I do a lot of my shopping online. Shoes, shirts, jumpers (I’m very lucky in this area) and a lot of electrical goods are very easily bought online saving me the frustration of being excluded from shops. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">But, there are some things I really need to try on before purchasing, such as over-the-ear headphones – to eliminate the excessive noise from my upstairs neighbour I wear headphones for most indoor activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, I popped into Currys in Brixton today to purchase a set of wireless over-the-ear headphones. The headphones I use at the moment are quite heavy and leave my ears quite painful when I wear them for a few hours. Therefore, I was seeking a good quality lightweight set of headphones that wouldn’t bankrupt me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Commandeering a young salesman, I asked to try a set of Bose headphones. The salesman lifted the phones and handed them to me, but the lead was too short to allow me to try them out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Could you release these for me please as I’d like to try them on?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Sorry sir, but the lead is glued into the headphones.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Very politely I suggested he opens the cabinet and releases the headphones. Not possible because the individual companies install their products and the locked display unit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">“You do know that under the Equality Act your company should offer me a reasonable adjustment in this situation” I posed to the young man. Of course, he gawped at me as though I was speaking in tongues. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Very pissed off with this I gave the headphones a firm tug to see if I could stretch the lead. To my, and the salesman’s, surprise the jack popped out of headphones. Before he could utter a word of complaint I smiled at him and congratulated him on successfully accommodating me with this reasonable adjustment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "century gothic" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">This reasonable adjustment worked a further three times before I found a pair that suited my ears and wallet.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-56023726770913553482018-09-14T14:56:00.000+01:002018-09-14T14:56:17.121+01:00Access to Work Award<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Ode to Joy, Access to Work has agreed to fund me for a further two years. The first two applications for A2W in my current job granted me the maximum three-year award; for some reason, my last two applications have awarded me A2W for a one year and a two-year period. While two years funding is preferable to a single year, the inconsistency of these awards is puzzling.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Last year I was not given a satisfactory explanation for my award dropping from three years to one year. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">However, as I was undergoing some mental health issues at the time, and weighing things up, I decided my MH was more important to me than the energy-sapping process of an appeal.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I spoke to the A2W officer a few weeks ago she explained that as my records showed no evidence of me receiving DLA this could impact on the duration of the award. When I explained that I’d been in receipt of Mobility Allowance for 30 years and the HR DLA since 2000 the officer actually responded sceptically stating that since A2W had no record of this then I might be mistaken. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">WTF? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">So, I contacted the DLA office and requested a proof of benefit letter which I sent on to the doubtful officer. Yet even armed with this information I still didn’t manage to secure the maximum award. It appears that if you have the temerity to stand up to these bureaucrats and argue your corner they still manage to stitch you up. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The DWP is notorious for its ‘go-ahead-we-don’t-care’ attitude to appeals. It is glaringly evident that the DWP has no regard whatsoever for the criminally wasteful misspending of its budget. Their philosophy seems to be money is no object as long as it is not going to improve the lives of disabled people.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3514550372024649601.post-53590201085857741562018-09-10T11:44:00.003+01:002018-09-10T11:44:54.149+01:00Disgraceful Accusations have no Place within the Labour Party or its Affiliates<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Saturday I drove up to Leeds from Manchester
to attend Disability Labour's (DL) AGM. The day began badly with a leaden sky
pouring its cold wetness upon us as we traveled to Leeds. We arrived at the
Queens Hotel wet, thirsty and hungry.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the past year a distinct fracture had
appeared within DL. One particular post to DL's Facebook accused Marsha de
Cordova of backing an Executive decision that donated £4,000 to the Fabian
Society; stating that Marsha should be ashamed of herself.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">When I pointed out the flagrant unfairness of blaming
one Executive member over the group I was viciously attacked. The irony of this
accusation was that due to her fighting for a parliamentary seat Marsha was
unable to attend any of the DL Executive meetings. This fact was ignored by
those whose only interest was attacking others.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Saturday there were Motions of No Confidence
in the Chair of DL. The Chair had announced that he was not re-standing for the
position; indeed, he was not standing for any positions within DL. Given this I
approached the person who was moving the Motion and asked if he would withdraw
the Motion. The Motion would cause division and rancour within our numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">As was his prerogative, he refused. Then, as I
predicted the meeting became very fractious. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">OK, people are entitled to have differences. It
was obvious that a majority of the people present were unhappy with the
outgoing Executive. Of course people have the right to voice their criticism
when they feel aggrieved. However, the way some of the DL members acted on
Saturday displayed a worrying development within our movement. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Knowing that a particular slate was going to
take the DL Executive was OK with me. When people feel the need to change an
organisation bringing together like-minded people to win the day is a
legitimate way to operate. However, bullying and shouting people down is not
the Comradely way to act.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">In my view the meeting became toxic when a
delegate claimed: “The Executive of Disability Labour is responsible for the
deaths of thousands of disabled people”. This was a disgraceful accusation and
I called on the Chair to demand the withdrawal of the remark. My request was
met with inaction. At this point I decided I could not remain in a meeting that
allowed such vicious points of view to prevail.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">I wish Disability Labour great success for the
future. Indeed, as a member of Disability Labour I will play my part in
progressing progressive policy for disabled people. However, DL must censure
outrageous and comradely language and behaviour with its ranks. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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Seán http://www.blogger.com/profile/10153701698504233732noreply@blogger.com0