How and why is access denied? Part 2

Services that do things “by the book” but still seem unfair

• Services can be denied to people with learning disabilities because of the way staff have to work. For example people with Autism and Asperger’s syndrome can be denied access to a social worker because they don’t meet the official criteria for having one.


• It doesn’t seem right that people with learning disabilities can get very different access to services based on where they live. For example, people living in Southampton have got access to “City Limits Employment Project ”, but people who live in Portsmouth have nothing like it.


• When services are organized around individual care packages, they can prevent access to important social relationships and shared support.
  

Interference and over-protectiveness

• Interference from professionals happens a lot when people with learning disabilities want to start relationships.


• Staff can be over-protective by treating people with learning disabilities like children and not allowing them to spend time alone with friends.


• People with learning disabilities want access to new experiences. They want to try things out without being over-protected.

Low expectations and negative attitudes

“They always tell us we can’t do it, without giving us a chance to try”

• Research shows health professionals have poor attitudes toward people with learning disabilities. They can be fearful, negative, have little awareness and experience of communication disabilities.


• Support workers need to think of people with learning disabilities as capable - which may take a leap of faith.