For a long time it has been clear that people with learning disabilities are still not equal in society.
How this has been allowed to happen?
It’s been allowed to happen because the learning disability sector is fragmented. We haven’t been working together.
Self-advocate Gary Bourlet tried to change this by setting up a national self-advocacy organisation called People First England. He was supported by Housing & Support Alliance, a charity promoting good support and housing for people with learning disabilities.
But both People First England and Housing & Support Alliance wanted to do more. They wanted to do something new. They came together with other self-advocates, families and organisations to build Learning Disability England.
Our Founding Members
Our Founding Members are the organisations that helped us build LDE. We are very grateful for all their support, time and funding. Our Founding Members are:
Advance
Aldingbourne Trust
Avenues Trust
BILD
Brampton
Brandon Trust
Bromford
Centre for Welfare Reform
Certitude
CHANGE
Choice Support
CMG
Connect In The North
Dimensions
Essex County Council
Essex Family Carers Network
Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities
Hft
Inclusion North
Kent County Council
KeyRing
MacIntyre
mcch
NDTi
Paradigm
Progress Housing
Reside Housing
Respond
Swanton Care
Three Cs
United Response