Claire Morgan 27/05/2022 News

Welsh Government have published their Learning Disability Strategic Action Plan 2022 to 2026. Here is a link to the plan https://gov.wales/learning-disability-strategic-action…

This is what Joe Powell, Chief Executive said about the plan…”As someone with eleven years’ experience of living in and accessing learning disability services, I was delighted to Chair and represent All Wales People First in a task and finish group with key stakeholders to develop a successor to the Improving Lives programme for people with learning disabilities.

Whilst the Improving Lives programme had many successes, the Covid 19 pandemic unfortunately prevented the programme being carried out in its entirety. The Covid 19 pandemic exacerbated many long existing inequalities for people with learning disabilities in Wales and highlighted just how vulnerable they are in usual let alone unprecedented times. It is vital we take this opportunity to ensure that we close those gaps once and for all if we are to meet the aspirations of equality and citizenship as championed in the Social Services and Wellbeing (Wales) Act and the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act.

Although all the themes in the report are important, the impact on health, housing, and the liberty of people with learning disabilities are of major concern. Most important to us is the major crisis within advocacy for people with learning disabilities in Wales but we especially fear the loss of self-advocacy groups, which are essential to equipping people with learning disabilities with the skills they need to speak for themselves, and to express and use their own voice. If this is not remedied, people with learning disabilities will lose their own voice and are likely to be dependent on others to speak for them.

In order for this new strategy to succeed, it is essential that Welsh Government work in close tandem with local authorities and Regional Partnership Boards across Wales to make our aspirations for an equal and inclusive Wales a reality”.