Learning Disability Coalition

Launch of the Learning Disability Coalition

04 June 2007

The Learning Disability Coalition (LDC) got off to a great start at its launch on May 16th at the Business Design Centre in Islington.

Representatives from all parts of the Learning Disability Sector listened to Dame Jo Williams DBE, Chief Executive of Mencap and co-chair of the LDC, Andrew Lee Director of People First (Self Advocacy) and Steve Inch Chairman of the Association for Real Change.

The key points were:

• Cuts in services for people with learning disabilities are increasing at local level. These cuts put at risk the vision set out in Valuing People.

• Demand is rising dramatically as medical advances enable more babies with complex needs to survive. Older people are living longer.

• An evidence based assessment of the trends affecting demand is crucial to make sure that sufficient public funding is provided.

Jo Williams stressed that the Learning Disability Coalition would speak with one voice and be focussed on ensuring adequate public funding for people with a learning disability.

Members of the audience queued up to sign our joint petition with the magazine Community Care. This says:

“Too many people with learning disabilities are deprived of the support they need to have a decent quality of life and do things other people take for granted.

We call on the government to make sure there is enough money getting through the system to honour the promises it has made of more choice and control for the 1.5m people affected”.

The target is to have 10,000 signatures to deliver to the Prime Minister at No 10. If you have not already signed it please enter your email address in the box on the right.

On the very same day as the launch the Minister for Care Services, Ivan Lewis MP, announced that Valuing People did need to be refreshed and that there would be a consultation document in the early Autumn.