VONNE

Policy Topic: 'Falling Through the Cracks' - The Impact of Welfare Reforms on People with Learning Disabilities

SYMO have produced a documentary film exploring the effects of the cuts in frontline services and the changes to Welfare Reforms will have on young people and adults with a disability in the North East.

The film gives a clear message to policy makers that disabled people have the same rights as everyone else to live a full life in society. The current cuts and the changes to Welfare Benefits are causing a lot of fear amongst disabled people.

Key messages for policy makers are:

• Disabled people who are a target of hate crime receive adequate police support
• Changes to Disability Living Allowance can not make people worse off
• Assessment process needs to be fair and take into consideration different needs and fluctuating conditions
• People will be supported with the additional costs of living with a disability
• Local Authorities protect funding for social care and voluntary services to enable disabled people to live independently
• Recognition of the contribution of carers
• Support helplines of Employment and Support Allowance provide staff with adequate equality training
• The media are challenged to present a varied view and stop using the label ‘scroungers’

It is not usually the most severely impaired who are suffering the severest deprivation, as their fair access to care needs will continue to be rated at critical, ensuring that they are likely to retain a comprehensive care package. The most adversely affected are those whose learning disability does not impair them sufficiently to require 24 hour care. Typically these people have been encouraged to live semi-independently in the community, with minimal staff input and have accessed a range of activities and services which ensure that their social and intellectual needs are met. With the closure of many statutory and voluntary sector services these people now find themselves living independently in no community to speak of. Isolated, unvalued and invisible, they can easily slip into depression and despair.

Through the use of video interviews and participatory research, SYMO aims to ensure that the stories of these people are told and that they reach the ears of the people who can influence policy. This project has collaborated with advocacy organisations such as Arcadea, Inclusion North and the Learning Disability Coalition to enhance and widen the impact of their campaigns.

The work will be shared with the nine Learning Disability Partnership Boards, which include representatives from Adult and Community Services as well as other policy makers, as SYMO aim to protect disabled people's rights.

At the beginning of this project a briefing note was produced to provide the VCS with details of the current policy position, this will be used to form a baseline position and measure the impact. For more information about this work contact karen Sheader at SYMO - karen.sheader@googlemail.com