Self-Advocacy

Disabled People with learning difficulties are often denied both knowledge and information about the way in which decisions are made about our lives.

If we have the knowledge and understanding about the power behind rules, policies and laws then we can better speak out and challenge decisions that affect our lives.

Whilst working with People 1st, I have developed very popular training courses for Disabled People with learning difficulties around the role of self-advocacy and collective advocacy in securing long term changes via campaign work. My experience of self-advocacy, peer-advocacy and collective advocacy has led to published articles in Disability Studies Journals and Community Living magazines.

Changing Perspectives has undertaken a range of consultancy work that includes writing information packs around disability issues, organisational reviews around support, writing briefings and running workshops around disability law and policy.

Disabled People/ People with Learning Difficulties

Our History

I have led on important historical events for disabled people.  My scrapbooks recording my disability rights activism are currently exhibited in ‘Disabled People’s Activism: Past, Present and Future’, a year-long exhibition being held at People’s History Museum and Nothing about Without Us Exhibition.  

Brighton and Hove Speak Out speaking up group have made a short video highlighting important achievements by People with learning difficulties.  I spoke about my role in securing Disability Discrimination laws that included people with learning difficulties and the first easy read publication produced by Government in 1995. 

For too long our history has not been told by the history makers with learning difficulties.

I have written ”Researching our history : who is in charge?” a chapter which has been published in BILD’s Crossing Boundaries Change and Continuity in the History of Learning Disability.

I provide a critical view of how our history is told by non-disabled academics and family members which do not include any events and actual achievements by people with learning difficulties themselves. 

Since 2000 nothing has changed other than there are many more non-disabled academics and historians publishing their own accounts in books, resources and podcasts containing their own narrative of our history.  This must change. 

Education Advocacy

My work in Education advocacy has enabled me to see how the law works in practice and what changes are needed to make sure that disabled pupils and students have a right to inclusive education.

I have ten years of experience working with families wanting mainstream education as an Independent Provider of Special Education Advice Tribunal Advocate.

One of the tribunal cases led to a successful Court of Appeal judgement being handed down in MH v Hounslow LEA and SENDIST (2004) around the interpretation of presumption of mainstream education in Education Act (1996) and Children and Families Act (2014).

Free Our People Now Campaign

We have been very busy setting up the Free Our People Now Campaign to end institutionalisation of disabled people.