I was depressed to read a new survey from the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability, which says that disabled people still face alarming levels of poverty and prejudice in the UK, despite the government’s efforts to promote equality. And the situation is only getting worse. Almost half of the disabled people who answered the survey were struggling to live on their current income, nearly 10% more than two years ago.
Although the recession may be partly to blame, there are much more deep seated causes. Discrimination in the classroom and the workplace remains a serious problem, as the survey notes. But for many disabled people, finding a place at college or university, or getting a job, may not even be an option. All too often this isn’t because of a lack of interest or ability—it is because they are not receiving the support they need as they make the difficult transition to adult life.
Later this week, we’re going to be publishing a new report, Rights of passage, which explores disabled young people’s experiences of transition. Our research shows that if they do not get adequate advice and support, they may find themselves shut out of education or employment, living in unsuitable housing, or totally reliant on their parents for everyday activities.
While preparing to launch the report, we’ve spoken to a few individuals whose experiences really highlight the issues we researched. Anna, whose son Jamie was born with a life-limiting metabolic condition, told us that because he wasn’t expected to live beyond the age of 12, no-one thought to plan ahead. Now 18, Jamie, like any other teenager, wants to leave school and move out of the family home. But Anna has discovered that there are very limited options for people like Jamie who need a lot of care. She says staff in social services ‘looked blank’ when she asked what was going to happen next, and the best they could offer him was a place in a nursing home with elderly people.
Stories like this are far too common. Disabled young people often talk about facing a ‘cliff edge’ in support as they approach 18. Services are patchy and many turn to charities for help—Anna told us it is charities that have provided the ‘greatest offer of hope and opportunity’ for Jamie, who is now living with friends his own age in a house run by the charity Scope.
Anna feels she has had to ‘fight all the way’ to get the right support for her son. By raising awareness of the problems and improving services for disabled people, charities like Scope and Leonard Cheshire Disability can make the fight that bit easier.
Visit our website on Thursday to download a copy of the report, or feel free to respond to this blog post with any questions or comments.
