Justice: How can you make a difference?
It seems that every day we turn on our PC or TV and hear of yet another story where our children, young people or adults are the victims of abuse. Many of us sit at home wondering how this can happen and why nothing seems to change and then we often take to social media to have a rant about how bad it is and how unfair it is.
Recently, we had the amazing 107 days of Action co-ordinated by the Justice for LB team. This showed a willingness from individuals and organisations to do what they can to make a difference. It was so positive and felt like the start of an amazing change. However, six months later, we get the NAO report and read the transcript from the recent Public Accounts Committee meeting and we fear that nothing is going to change. It feels as if lots of people are shouting and screaming but nothing is actually happening. Lots of empty promises. The latest post from the Justice Shed sums up the feeling that many people have about this.
So how can you make a difference?
It’s going to take all of us. We need big numbers. We need to become so visible to everyone, especially to those who can make changes. We need them to know we are not going away. We need to stop shouting and ranting in groups and private messages without taking some other form of positive action too. Everyone needs a rant, it’s human nature, but then we need to stop talking about it and do something.
Support the LB Bill
The LB Bill grew from Justice for LB. The Justice for LB campaign wants to change the law to make the NHS and Councils listen to disabled people. They are proposing a new Bill (currently called the LB Bill) which states:
Councils and the NHS must think about the need for disabled people to be included in their community in everything they do
When deciding about paying for care at home for disabled people, the care should be what people need at home.
Councils and the NHS must have enough support for disabled people in the community.
Every disabled person should get support and live in the place that best suits them.
Whenever a disabled person is moved this should be approved.
Councils and the NHS should have to be open about the disabled people they support at home and in care homes or hospitals
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 should change to give better rights to disabled people and families.
People with learning disabilities and autism shouldn’t be under the Mental Health Act 1983.
You can find out more and pledge your support here
Join the Learning Disability Alliance
LDA England is an alliance of all those committed to the rights of people with learning disabilities.
LDA England is a campaign, not a service. They want to make sure that people come together to defend the rights of people with learning disabilities and their families. They won’t be doing the jobs that other organisations already do. They will be uniting everybody in a campaign for people’s rights. They aim to make the best use of the talents of people, families and existing organisations.
You can find out more and join the LDA here
Write/speak to your MP, Select Committee members and potential MP candidates in your area.
During the 107 days of Action, Education Rights Alliance provided a template letter that people could use when writing to their MP. That can be downloaded from the 107 days of Action site here.
You can find the contact details for your MP here
You can find details of all the Government Select Committees here.
Join the Justice Together database
We announced last week our intention, at Bringing Us Together, along with our colleagues a new project to launch a national database of all of those who can offer help and support to families in crisis. We are trying to put together a complete list of all of those who can, and are willing to, offer help to families or to the project. It may be that you know the Mental Capacity Act inside out, you may be able to offer emotional support to a family, you may have a list of reputable Providers or legal representatives, you may be a counsellor, you may be a mediator, you may have knowledge of personal budgets, the Care Act or the new Children and Families Act. You may be able to offer support face to face or virtually, by email or phone.
If you would like to express an interest in the Justice Together network, then get in touch here.
Tell us about the websites, organisations and groups that help you
You may not be able to offer help yourself, but tell us about the organisations or groups that help you. Maybe you are a member of a Facebook group or attend a coffee morning with other families. Is there a website that helped you or a Youtube video that helped, perhaps a Facebook page? Let us know about them by completing the form below:
All of these will be collated and put on our site for people to search.
Mum to three great kids, each with a different SEN.
Transplanted from the NW to the SE.
Co-founder and Director of Bringing Us Together
