This webinar is the fifth in our Disability Research on Independent Living & Learning (DRILL) series.
It shares a recent study led by Queen’s University, Belfast and partner organisations. ‘Getting Our Voices Heard’ looked at different approaches taken by people with learning disabilities and their organisations, to influence the specific policy and procedural area of adult safeguarding.
It was recognised that disabled people themselves having a direct influence on these policies was imperative. The project investigated what works in different contexts across all four Nations in the UK, including identification of successful examples of how people with learning disabilities and relevant Disabled People’s Organisations (DPOs) have influenced adult safeguarding policy.
Findings show that some improvements have been made on the inclusion of people with learning disabilities in policy conversations, but that there remains considerable work to be done to achieve meaningful inclusion. Particularly, that policy consultations are often not adequately carried out to allow people with learning disabilities to have real input. Suggested improvements include allowing more time for responses, the need for better quality easy read documents that outline what is contained in the proposed law or policy, whilst engaging in person with people with learning disabilities. The importance of sharing personal stories and lived experience, engaging with the media, taking part in research projects and being members of policy technical groups were all recommended.
The study led to co-produced recommendations and action plans on the best approaches to influencing adult safeguarding policy and its implementation at national and organisational levels.
Presented by:
Dr Lorna Montgomery
Senior Lecturer in Social Work
School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work
Queen’s University Belfast
