By Scott Watkin, LDE Rep Body Member
What is happening with this virus is meaning changes for all of us and many of us are scared or unsure of the future.
For some of us though it is harder or more difficult to cope with this. I am worried disabled people and their supporters are getting forgotten in the plans or on TV and radio.
I think that front line support workers and what they do is much more important than I hear people saying.
They are invaluable for ordinary life to carry on for lots of people with learning disabilities or autistic people.
They keep day to day life going – the very basics of life do not happen for lots of people without support workers. If we do not start remembering that we are leaving people in the most desperate situations – more than just not being able to get the food, you like at the supermarket.
I am climbing the walls now as I have been at home so much, but I remember I can go out for a walk even though I am trying to follow the social distancing rules.
Some people are not getting to do the things that matter to them and that makes life difficult for them and their supporters or family. It will get harder if their support team or family cannot carry on.
Communities are coming together now to support each other. I am helping people on my street as well as my family. I think we all need to help the people who are supporting other people as family carers as well as paid staff.
We need them more than ever now. We need to be speaking up for the people they support too. People with learning disabilities cannot be forgotten.