Category Archives: Carers

The importance of mental health is finally beginning to be recognised

March 1, 2012   Carers, mental health, stigma

Seeking some consensus on mental health

01 March 2012

The importance of mental health is finally beginning to be recognised – but we still have a long way to go, says Paul Jenkins, who will chair Public Service Events’ A New Approach to Mental Health conference

An issue that affects one in four of the population and costs society an estimated £101bn every year ought to be pretty prominent in the minds of the public and policy makers. But mental health has struggled to capture the attention and priority it deserves.

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Disabled people must not be put at risk

March 1, 2012   Carers, cerebral palsy, deaf/blind, disability, stigma

Rights of disabled people may be at risk, says Human Rights Committee

 

01 March 2012

The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) today publishes its Report on the implementation of the right of disabled people to independent living in the context of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) which was ratified by the UK in 2009.

 

 

The Report draws attention to a number of significant human rights issues, including:

  • the need for freestanding legislation to protect the right to independent living in UK law
  • the effect of current reforms to benefits and services on the ability of disabled people to enjoy independent living
  • the role played by the UNCRPD in policy development and decision making at all levels of government
  • the use of equality impact assessments
  • the effects of devolution on implementation of the UNCRPD
  • hate crime
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Turn the music down in shops for World Autism Day -2nd April 2012

February 29, 2012   autism, Carers

An idea for World Autism Day – 2nd April 2012

This isn’t the blog I was going to post today but…

I was walking through my local shopping centre this morning and as it was 10am-ish all was reasonably quiet people-wise and I thought “this would be an ideal time to take D shopping – had she not been at school”.

Then I turned the corner into the next parade of shops, music blaring out from one shop, which always looks quite intimidating – no disabled access, you have to go up steps to get in, very dark atmosphere and very cramped, you almost need night vision goggles to go shopping in there – and the shop opposite was playing its music louder to drown out the other shop.

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