The Office for Disability Issues has released a policy paper: Disabled people’s rights: information for the UK’s first periodic review.

The review reports on information provided to the United Nations (UN) in connection with its first periodic review of disabled people’s rights.

The government published its initial report on the rights of disabled people in November 2011, as required by the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

As part of its first periodic review of how the United Kingdom (UK) is implementing the convention, the UN asked for more information in April 2017. They did so by publishing a ‘List of issues’.

This response provides the information the UN asked for. The Office for Disability Issues coordinates the United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities for the UK.

Access the report here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disabled-peoples-rights-information-for-the-uks-first-periodic-review

A number of guides from Public Health England for making reasonable adjustments for people with learning disabilities (including easy read)……

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/reasonable-adjustments-for-people-with-learning-disabilities

An ongoing fight to raise awareness of over-medication of people with learning disabilities has been welcomed by the country’s top nurse.

As it reached its first anniversary today Professor Jane Cummings spoke out in support of stop the over-medication of people with a learning disability or autism (STOMP) – a major initiative aimed at curbing the amount of powerful drugs being prescribed.

It’s estimated that every day up to 35,000 with a learning disability take a prescribed psychotropic, but don’t have a diagnosed mental health condition. This can lead to significant side-effects impacting on the quality of life.

More information here:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/2017/07/chief-nurse-backs-stomp-it-out-drugs-campaign/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NHSCBoard+%28NHS+England%29

The Tizard Centre will be holding a forum looking at innovative models and practice in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities on the 2nd September. Parallel sessions now announced.

The conference will include a range of talks and sessions for delegates to participate in, a short film “This is Me” from Square Pegs drama group, networking with like-minded people and professorials inaugural talks by Prof Rachel Forrester-Jones and Prof Julie Beadle-Brown.

Kent County Council is launching its strategy for adults with autism on Tuesday, July 11 which sets out its future commitments and priorities.

In 2010, Government set out a requirement for all local authorities to have a strategy as described in the National Autism Strategy.

Across Kent, approximately over 13,000 individuals are living with autism and current estimates suggest over half these will have autism in the absence of a learning disability.  This strategy addresses these individuals.

The launch event will be chaired by Anne Tidmarsh, Director for Older People and Physical Disability and will include an introduction by Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, Graham Gibbens

For further information about the strategy and any queries, please email SensoryandAutism@kent.gov.uk to learn more.

https://kccmediahub.net/kcc-launches-strategy-adults-autism745