A Meeting of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Social Care

Date: 10/12/2024
Mary Woodhall, Learning Disability England (on far right) with other representative members of the APPG

Representatives from Learning Disability England recently attended a meeting for the Social Care All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

Mary Woodhall (Self-advocate Rep), Marianne Selby-Boothroyd (Paid supporter Rep) and James O’Rourke (Family Rep) went along.

The APPG is a group of Parliamentarians from across lots of political parties who are all focused on making social care better.

There is also a working group made up of lots of organisations who all focus on this too who advise them.

Learning Disability England is one of these organisations and Mary is also a member of the lived experience advisory group for the APPG.

On the 27th November 2024, some of the politicians and representatives from the working group and lived experience advisory group came together for a coffee morning.

Member reps went so they could share what is important to people with learning disabilities their families and supporters for good social care.

Marianne spent time talking with Rachel Gilmour, newly elected Lib Dem MP for Tiverton and Minehead.

Marianne says:

“It was a great opportunity for people to meet with MPs, I had hoped there would be more but I was pleased the two MPs I spoke to were passionate about getting support right for people and families.”

Picture of the head and face a woman smiling. She has shoulder length light brown hair

Mary said about the day:

“It is vital and very important that people with learning disabilities and care providers have a say in the changes that effect them and when policies are made. It’s events like this that can help make that happen.”

James said: ‘The event was important because it enables people with lived experience to engage directly with those who write and pass our laws – Members of Parliament (MPs). However, it can only be successful if there is a wide buy-in from MPs which was not the case at last week’s APPG. I hope more MPs will join in future and increase opportunities to share people’s real lives’