24 special report: 40 years of disability rights 25

adults

Battle for equality continues
EMPLOYMENT 7.5% of adults with learning
disabilities known to social
services were in paid
employment in England
7.5%
adults
‘Eligibility rules the next battle’
There has been a shift in how the government understands,
promotes and offers social care to disabled people and
also how it thinks about the rights of disabled people. The
improvement in social care has given disabled people greater
choice, control and flexibility over the services provided by the
3.4% of adults in contact 48% of all disabled people
state. Equality laws have reduced some discriminatory practices towards
with secondary mental are in employment disabled people and increased their opportunities and life chances.
health services were in paid But far too many people are being let down by tight eligibility criteria
employment in England for care and charging. This has resulted in many disabled people surviving
without proper support structures, being forced to live in unacceptable
3.4% 48% conditions and therefore becoming a burden on others.
The diverse needs of disabled people continue to be poorly addressed by
many service providers, who categorise disabled people as a homogenous
group.
Disabled people still do not have equal participation in society. We
should have achieved this by now, 40 years after the passing of the act.

Michelle Daley is a former member of government advisory body Equality

Sources:
Sources: NHS
NHS Information
Information Centre
Centre Social
Social Care
Care && Mental
Mental Health
Health Indicators
Indicators 2008-9;
2008-9; 2025 and is a freelance trainer and consultant on disability equality
Office
Office for
for National
National Statistics
Statistics Labour
Labour Force
Force Survey
Survey 2008
2008

ACCOMMODATION 50-55% of the population

of adults with learning
disabilities live with
their families
50-55%
INCOME AND PREJUDICE 42% of disabled people
are finding it difficult or
very difficult to live on
their present income.
42%
30% of people with
learning disabilities live
in residential care
15% of people with learning
disabilities have a secure
long-term tenancy or
(33,000 people in England) own their own home.
30%
Source:
Source: Valuing
Valuing People
People Now,
Now, 2009
2009
55% of disabled people 90% of disabled people
have no savings believe there is prejudice
against disabled people
in Britain
55%
‘Businesses must do better’
There have been many key moments for people who are
deaf or hard of hearing over the past 40 years, including the
15% Disability Discrimination Act 1995, and the recognition of
British Sign Language as a language in its own right by the
government in 2003.
These advances, combined with growing social awareness and significant
technological and medical developments, have enabled greater equality for
HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED: people who are deaf or hard of hearing and an increasing recognition of the
DECLINE OF LONG-STAY HOSPITALS skills and talent that would be otherwise lost to society.
However, most businesses and public services are neither deaf aware nor
prepared to make reasonable adjustments for staff or customers, whether
they use BSL or communicate in English. This attitude is something that we
must all challenge, but RNID recognises its special responsibility in this area.
We need to ensure all providers are educated in deaf awareness so that
deaf or hard of hearing people have full access to all of the same services as
the rest of the population, and that they are actively encouraged to seek all
the benefits, help and support that is available to them.
90%
Caroline Cousins is a trustee for the RNID and is deaf

‘Transport is much easier now’

Since I just turned 40, my experience should measure the
Sources:
Sources: Valuing
Valuing People
People white
white paper,
paper, 2001;
2001; impact of the act.
Source:
Source: Leonard
Leonard Cheshire
Cheshire Disability,
Disability, Disability
Disability Review
Review 2009
2009 Valuing
Valuing People
People Now
Now delivery
delivery plan
plan 2010-11,
2010-11, 2010
2010 My parents understood that inclusive education was key to
my life chances. I went to one of the first secondary schools to
integrate disabled children, after attending a special school

‘1996 act had much ‘Activists have

more impact for me’
The 1970 act didn’t do much for me, and I’m
not sure it did a lot for many people with
learning disabilities either.
I was just 19 when it came out and
had already been locked up in a mental
institution called Calderstones in Lancashire
for over four years. There I was treated as a number, not
an individual. The act didn’t change that.
Six years later my dad died and my mum’s health
got very bad. I just wanted to go home to be with her. via principles of independent living, of Disabled People report in 2005. that refused on “moral” grounds to let pupils take exams.
A woman told me that she had arranged for me to go developed by disabled activists. On the contrary side, increasing At 18 I was off to university. As an alternative to funding the support I
needed to live on campus, the local social services director suggested that
been key’
home. I jumped into the car and off we went, only to find Locally this led to the rationing of social care and the rise
out that I was being taken to a hostel for the “mentally development of centres for of poverty among non-working “someone like me” would be better off staying at home and studying with
handicapped”. I stayed there for the next five years. independent living and direct disabled people have undermined the Open University.
However, disabled people are definitely out and about more these days.
Eventually I got a job and went home to look after Disabled people’s payments schemes. Nationally this these aspirations.
The activist Dave Morris, who died recently, played a leading role in getting
mum. After she died social services moved me into a lives have broadly led to the civil rights campaigns Disabled people require a truly
every London bus made accessible. He described the opportunity to take
flat, I had no choice. The law that changed things for me improved. A key resulting in the Disability national care service, free at the
any bus as “feeling like a kid in a sweet shop”. The novelty hasn’t worn off for
and some other people with learning disabilities was the change has been Discrimination Act 1995 and direct point of use.
me either, and I still find myself going on unnecessary journeys just for that
Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996. I got my about the part payments legislation. warm feeling of inclusion.
direct payment in 1998. I haven’t looked back since. disabled people have played All government policy has been Andy Rickell is a member of The 1970 act played its part, but we now need far more robust rights to
in their own emancipation. influenced by the disabled people’s disability advisory body Equality independent living.
Andrew Barbour is vice-chair of Tameside People First Organisations were set up to movement, culminating in the 2025 and chief executive of the
and trains on advocacy and disability awareness champion disabled people’s rights excellent Improving the Life Chances Vassall Centre Trust Nick Danagher is an independent consultant on disability equality issues

www.communitycare.co.uk ❘ 13 May 2010 13 May 2010 ❘ www.communitycare.co.uk