Comment by Jan Walmsley
In October, the Department of Health announced that funding for the National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities, and the National Valuing Families Forum is likely to be withdrawn. There was no explanation for this decision to pull the plug on the national voice for England’s people with learning disabilities, and families, in government.
The two Forums were set up following Valuing People, the 2001 White Paper which proclaimed Rights, Independence, Choice and Inclusion as its principles. The Forums were a bold attempt to bring the voices of people with learning disabilities into government. Elected representatives meet regularly, to share what is happening to people with learning disabilities and families in their regions, and to work out how to respond to developments in government. The Forums have membership of the Government’s Learning Disability Board, bringing their voices into direct contact with the Government. But after March 2017, this will cease.
Rather than pull funding altogether, I would argue for a review of the Forums, with a view to build on the work they have done over almost 15 years. It was a brave experiment. They were far from perfect, but surely that is an argument to reflect and learn, not to abandon. We could learn, too, from Wales and Scotland, both of which have national coordinating bodies for self advocacy, funded at arms length by government.
So what now? If the Forums go, the last Valuing People flame is extinguished in England. And it is hard to see what will replace it.
