Unit
9 Motherwell Business Centre The PA Employer Winter 2003
Volume 1 Issue 5
- EDITORIAL: A Christmas message
- Having problems opening a bank account?
- Independent living advocacy training
- Disability now
- Disability rights commission
- Direct Payments or Direct Payments
- Wonderful Wonderful Copenhagen
- Santa Issues by Iain Smith, CILiG
- What do SPAEN members think?
- Drive for members?
EDITORIAL: A Christmas Message
June the1st 2003 has come and gone and Direct Payments for Disabled People is at last a statutory right. If we disabled people ask for a direct payment and meet the eligibility criteria then by law the door to choice control and flexibility should be wide open to us.
I don’t know about you, but I am so excited at the prospect of the positive changes that will undoubtedly take place in the lives of so many people and the new opportunities that will that will present themselves. For us all as disabled people at last our ship “The Independent Living” is coming in! We are becoming the captains of our own destiny!
However, amid the excitement SPAEN is conscious that for this ship to navigate the some times stormy waters of everyday living we as captains need to take the responsibility for ensuring our ship is ready for the voyage.
Most of us, who are members of SPAEN, have had the information, training and support from CIL’s or other support organisations, who are well versed in the principles and philosophy of the Independent Living Movement. We have been able to navigate our voyage using Social Services Independent Living Services money and/or the Independent Living Fund, (either the Extension Fund or the later 93 Fund) quite successfully; fully aware of the obligations we have for the public pound as employers or purchasers of services.
It has come to our attention amid all our excitement that blockades are appearing outside the Harbour….and in our opinion quite unnecessary.
A number of members have informed us that some local authorities are informing disabled people in receipt of ILF money that they will be required to set up a separate bank account for their Direct Payment. This could mean some people having three bank accounts! One for their benefits and normal household business, another for ILF money and a further account for their Direct Payment. We feel that this would be very difficult to administer and wont make us very popular with our local bank managers. Surely one account would be sufficient for both the ILF money and the Direct Payment.
We need to hear from you to enable us to build up a picture of what is happening across the country. This will then put us in a stronger position to raise our concerns with both the Scottish Executive and COSLA. We also need to know about any issues you feel may be important to us as an organisation or more importantly to yourselves.
SPAEN is here to assist in any way we can and look forward to working closely with you all over the coming months. Feel free to contact us in the office any time and we will endeavour to assist you fully with any problems or queries that you may have.
Remember your voyage is our voyage we are all a part of the same fleet heading for the same destination.
Peter Brawley
Development Officer
Having problems opening a bank account?
Some information about the problems people are having opening Bank accounts when starting direct payments schemes. We have been informed that the National Centre for Independent Living (NCIL) will be meeting with the Banks at a National level to try to sort this one out. NCIL will be making the point that Banks must be willing to accept disabled people as customers when they need an account for direct payments.
Independent living advocacy training
SPAEN has secured funding to sponsor an Independent Living Advocacy Course in 2004. We have been in negotiations with the Association of Independent Living Advocates in Essex to run this course. We are looking for 5 people to attend this and those interested should contact the staff in the SPAEN office for further information.
Inclusion Now
Parents of disabled children in Scotland are being urged to monitor the quality of provision in main stream schools this term amid concerns of a funding gap. Laws introducing a “presumption of mainstreaming” for children with special educational needs (SEN) came into force in August and could see up to 5000 more children in mainstream settings. But a report by Audit Scotland and the Education Inspectorate in May revealed a deficit of up to £121m in the cost of transferring the majority of children with SEN to mainstream schools by the start of the term. Gwen Carr, director of UK services at the National Deaf Children’s Society advised parents to complain “robustly” to the Scottish Executive if their child’s education “doesn’t meet their needs”
“ It is often thought that inclusion is a cheap option, but this is not the case if mainstreaming is done properly—as has been shown in this case.”
The report also warned of a lack of planning by councils and NHS bodies to implement the provisions under the Standards in Scotland Act. Scotland’s Education and Young People Minister, Peter Peacock, said the figures were estimates and involved “making assumptions and judgements” Inclusion funds would increase by 35% next year and capital spending for school facilities by £1.2 billion, he said.
Holidays for Disabled People
Accessible accommodation guaranteed. Flights to Cyprus, Tenerife, Malaga, Lanzarote, Costa Almeria, Majorca, Algarve, Malta, Rhodes and Florida
Weekend breaks available in Paris, Dublin and Amsterdam. Holiday homes available in France A brochure with coloured pictures is available at www.access-travel.co.uk or please apply to:
Access Travel (Lancs) Ltd, 6 The Hillock,
Astley, Lancashire M29 7GW or telephone:
01942 888844
If your planning a holiday then check out the web sites below:
www.yourable.com
holidaycare.org.uk
Open 4 All Campaign
The DRC launched its Open 4 All campaign last month, it announced the biggest shake up of consumer legislation affecting every high street in Britain was being ignored by business. By 1st October 2004, every business, large or small—from the local shops to restaurants, health clubs, dentists and supermarkets will need to be come more user- friendly to Britain’s 8.6 million disabled people. With 1 year to go, a national NOP survey for the DRC has stark news for business—over 70% of disabled people find it difficult to get into the shops or use services offered in the high street. The legislation, introduced under the DDA will affect over 2 million British businesses. Failure to act could result in legal action. The DRC has launched Open 4 All to help businesses understand the new legislation and benefit from the £50 billion annual spending power of disabled people. To find out more about the campaign and obtain practical advice and information about the changes, please visit www.open4all.org
Scottish Social Attitude Survey
The recent publication of the Scottish Social Attitude Survey has revealed that the majority of the Scottish public support further rights for disabled people. The survey which was conducted by the National Centre for Social Research on behalf of a consortium of DRC, EOC, CRE, Stonewall Scotland and the Scottish Executive, is the first of its kind in Europe. The survey looked at attitudes of the public towards prejudice and discrimination, revealing that: 68% of the public felt that prejudice was wrong, there was a strong belief that prejudices of all kinds should be eradicated and there was strong support from two thirds of the population for an extension of disability rights. To access the survey go to: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/society/adis-00.asp
Direct Payments or Direct Payments
OK, hands up all of you who are confused…
Isn’t it just like the right hand of the government not to know what its left hand is up to…?
Here we are, trying to spread the news about Direct Payments (the money given to us by Social Work Departments to buy in our support) being the means to independent living, when along comes another government department to tell us the Disability Living Allowance is to be paid to us by a different method and there are going to call this — wait for it — DIRECT PAYMENTS…!
Personally, I think its all a ruse to exhaust & distract us from ensuring
we have a life worth living.
What do you think?
Suselle Boffey
Wonderful wonderful Copenhagen
Another tale from the Suselle Boffey memoirs…
Many of us, when we think of Scandinavian countries, imagine that their social policies are progressive and that disabled Scandinavians enjoy better than average facilities and resource provision. Perhaps this is so, but I glimpse at least one frustrating example or extremely poor access during my brief visit to Denmark in September.
Friends had suggested I visit the Viking Museum in Roskilde, a pretty little town just outside Copenhagen. After browsing in the market and peeking inside one of the oldest churches in Denmark, we made our way to the museum site beside the lake of sparkling blue water. Parking was easy and plentiful, and the wooden walkways looked barrier free. Admission was free to us, but the girl at the entrance said nothing about why this might be so…
We wandered for a short while, gazing at long narrow boats which used to ferry whole villages to church and peering into shed where people are building replicas of Viking long ships—not easy however to get close enough for a “hands on” feel, so we decided to make our way to the museum itself, which housed the remnants of the old ships which were discovered in that area as well as the shop/café area.
This building was, by comparison with the rustic feel of the rest of the site, a concrete block fairly reminiscent of the 1960s/70s in this country. The main entrance was reached by a flight of several steep steps, so intrepid PA Mandy was duly dispatched to seek out the accessible entrance. There wasn’t one. It took some time for this to sink in—an extremely apologetic member of the museum staff beckoned me to the other end of the building, across a difficult grass/concrete area and down a very steep slope where I entered by the emergency exit door. The only area of the museum on the level was the tiny room where a short video of the discovery and restoration of the ships is shown. What an anti-climax…
Maybe things aren't so bad here after all?
Next time—look out for my report from Austria…!
Santa's issues, by Iain Smith, CILiG
It’s coming up to Christmas
There’s presents to be labelled
But have you wondered who’d deliver the goods
If Santa was disabled
For some would say he must be sacked
He’s no use any more
His disability slows him down
He must be shown the door
For Christmas is a demanding time
He won’t be able to cope
Unless we find alternatives
The kids will have no hope
They’ll have no toys on Christmas day
And that would be a shame
Then Santa would be signing on
He’d have to take the blame
But others have a different view
On Santa’s so called problem
So what if he has barriers
There must be a way we can solve them
Recruiting more elves is a possible step
Yes I know there would be resistance
But Santa’s Direct Payment
Could pay for some personal assistance
And if there is access issues
Which impair him in whatever way?
We’ll speak really nice to access to work
And we will find out what they have to say
Of course he will have to be assessed
They don't give equipment for nothing
But kids demand he keeps his job
Believe me I’m not bluffing
They don't want him to be retired
Because of fear and ignorance
They want their toys from Santa Clause
For that’s what makes their Christmas
They want their presents beside the tree
From Santa and his carriers
So solve his access issues now
And bin his disabling barriers
WHAT DO SPAEN MEMBERS THINK?
Your views and opinions are crucial to the future success of the Independent Living Movement and the empowerment of Disabled People. So Please! Write, Phone or e-mail we want to hear from YOU.
DRIVE FOR MEMBERS
Currently SPAEN has 177 paid up members If you're not a member, please join us! The more members we have, the stronger our voice will be.
The Membership Fee is just £10 for 5 years. For this small amount you will get the security of an organisation of disabled people like yourself, which is there to secure and promote your interests.
Page updated 23/02/2004