Photos from the 2021 Annual Conference Staying Strong Getting Stronger
NEW
Learning Disability England Annual Conferences 2023
The conference looked a little different this year and we were really pleased to have the chance to connect with members both online and in person.
There were 3 opportunities to come to the 2023 conference.
The Online Conference
The London Conference
The York Conference
Thank you to this year’s sponsors: Ambient, Achieve Together, Choice Support, Dimensions, Look Ahead Group, MacIntyre, SeeAbility and Anthony Collins Solicitors.
Not yet a member?
Why not join today and come together with other members working for change.
Membership starts at only £12 a year for individuals.
If you have any questions or want to find out more, contact us.
Email: LDEConference23@ldengland.org.uk
Phone: 0300 111 0444
Want to find out more about the 2022 online conference? Click here!
Rep Body Elections 2022
Voting in the 2022 Representative Body elections opened at 9am on Monday 30th May 2022.
Voting will close at 9am on Monday 27th June 2022.
Please make sure you have voted before then or your vote will not count.
Are you ready to vote?
The Representative Body (Rep Body) are people elected by you to speak up for you and help make sure Learning Disability England is doing a good job.
Only current members on 30th May 2022 will be able to vote.
Your voting link will be sent to your email address at 9am on Monday 30 May 2022 direct from Survey Monkey.
Read the easy read guide to voting to find out everything you need to know
Do you need a Proxy Vote?
Do you need a postal vote?
Contact us on elections@LDEngland.org.uk and we will send this to you
Is your membership up to date?
Only people and organisations that are members on 30th May 2022 will be able to vote in the elections.
Contact elections@LDEngland.org.uk or phone 0300 111 0444 if you have a query about your membership or have not got your voting link.
Members will have 1 vote each.
There are vacancies for:
2 self advocate reps – people with learning disabilities
2 family and friends reps
2 paid supporter reps – this can be individual members or people working for an organisation that is a member
You can also watch some other videos that Rep Body members have made to tell you more about the role and what they do.
Watch Wendy talk about the importance of being well connected to other members
Watch Jack talk about what it’s like as a self advocate Rep
Watch Sheila talk about why she joined and the knowledge and skills she found helpful
Watch Ivan talk about some of the things he does to represent other members’ views
Watch Tim talk about how he prepares for Rep Body meetings
Watch Rob talk about some of the big things he has helped to work on
If you have questions you can contact us by email on elections@LDEngland.org.uk.
Or phone us on 0300 111 0444.
Webinars and Events
Are you looking for a recording of a past webinar?
You can see recordings of our public webinars and AGM’s below.
Contact info@LDEngland.org.uk and we should be able to send you a link
Not yet a member of Learning Disability England?
Past Webinar Recordings
Campaigning
Learning Disability England supports lots of different campaigns led by members and partners. There are many ways we do this to help achieve the shared goal of Good Lives. You can find out about the different campaigns by searching through the categories below.
Good Lives 2020 Self Advocates Workshop
Birmingham workshop 19th February 2020
By Gary Bourlet
We held our first self-advocacy workshop in Birmingham to start the work on Good Lives 2020. This was about bringing self-advocacy groups around the country together, not about new ideas, but about working together on how to put ideas into action. A lot of these have been talked about for at least 20 or 30 years, but a lot has been said and not been made happen.
It’s all a chance for these groups to network together as a lot of groups have been doing things separately. Each individual group would work on individual issues most important to them and network these with other groups, so its not about one group taking on everything.
We talked about some big areas that research has already told us is important:
Advocacy and Self-Advocacy
Housing
Money and Benefits
Paid Jobs
Health
Relationships
Rights
Sport and Leisure
People in the room added 2 more based on what they think or know is important to others
They added
Accessibility and Education and Learning
There were 6 tables which had about eight people around all adding their ideas to each issue and we want to know about their ideas and what are the next steps and who will do what?
Who else to meet with like social workers, Members of Parliament, councillors, Providers, parents etc, as Good Lives is about working together with others.
It was a good start to this important work and there was a lot of good networking going on as these photos show!
You can find out more about Good Lives and what we talked about on the day on our website HERE
Conference Photo Album 2020
Guidance Explained
FAQs from the most recent NHS Learning Disability and Autism seminar 23rd June 2021 .
Easy-read Guides
Easy-read 17th May changes – from Inclusion North
Easy-read 29th March lockdown changes – from Cornwall People First
Easy-read roadmap out of lockdown: step 1 explained – from Suffolk Learning Disability Partnership
Easy-read guide on the governments 4-step plan out of lockdown – from Cornwall People First
National Lockdown Easy read – from the Cabinet Office
Easy read from Cornwall People First about the new lockdown
How to test yourself for coronavirus (COVID-19) at home – from NHS Test and Trace and HM Government
Guidance for people in supported living: Easy Read – from the Department of Health and Social Care
Adult social care our COVID-19 winter plan: Easy Read – from Department of Health and Social Care
Covid 19 and black and minority ethnic Communities: Easy Read – from the Race Equality Foundation
Resources on coronavirus: Easy Reads– including information on vaccines, from Keep Safe by Photosymbols.
Schools re-opening: information relevant to children and young people with severe learning disabilities – an information sheet from the Challenging Behaviour Foundation.
Videos and audio
Update video on 29th March lockdown changes – from NWTDT
Video on the government roadmap and how the lockdown restrictions will be lifted – from NWTDT
Video on the governments route out of lockdown – from Inclusion North
Video about the new national lockdown from 4 January 2021 by NWTDT / Pathways
Easy read news and video about the new lockdown from Inclusion North
Audio information about coronavirus from Keep Safe / PhotoSymbols
What it means to come out of lockdown
Wordless stories to help children returning to school from Books Beyond Words – easy read.
Schools re-opening: information relevant to children and young people with severe learning disabilities – an information sheet from the Challenging Behaviour Foundation.
Recovery, Re-introduction and Renewal: Safe and Successful Returns to School – a handbook from Whole School SEND designed to help schools and education settings through Covid-19 and beyond.
Mencap have published easy read guides about:
Coronavirus resource hub including audio and video resources, and a weekly news update, from Inclusion North.