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NEWS ElfrIDA cENTENAry 1916-2016

polIcE AccUSED of mIScoNDUcT lEArNINg DISAbIlITy VoIcES A yEAr of DIScoVEry have produced lots of ‘stuff’; Later on in the year Islington
IN TrEATmENT of 11-yEAr olD forEcAST £926m fUNDINg AND cElEbrATIoN documents, publications, Museum have offered to host
photos, videos and art, and
an exhibition of our archive
AUTISTIc gIrl SHorTAgE by 2020 we have kept a lot of it. and are keen to include
This is a year to reflect on the past but also Elfrida in the ‘Local Heroines’
An 11-year old girl was she had an autism Alarmed at the growing • There are virtually no to make ambitious plans for the future, It’s at times like these the programme they run for local
detained for over 60 hours spectrum disorder. pressure on services, self-funders among clients says Tony bamforth, the Elfrida Society’s CEO. benefit of working in an school girls in Islington.
without an appropriate adult Learning Disability Voices so providers cannot ‘cross- organisation that appears
by Sussex police in 2012. Eleven officers and one police have launched the Care Crisis subsidise’ with private fees, his year is an This year we are working on to attract more than its fair During the 20th century,
She was placed in handcuffs, staff member were found to Manifesto with forewords which other care sectors T important year for organisational sustainability, share of hoarders becomes the work of Elfrida inspired
leg restraints and a spit hood have cases to answer for by Sam Jefferies, service user, have been forced to do; the Elfrida Society. taking a detailed look at apparent although, of the development of a
after being detained for minor misconduct after an and Norman Lamb, nor is there any ‘market The work which led the organisation ‘warts course, having the good number of similar
offences between February investigation by the Care Minister in the opportunity’ based on to the creation of the and all’, creating and fortune to recruit a volunteer organisations across
and March 2012. Independent Police Complaints last government. growing demand. Elfrida Society began implementing a plan to professional archivist London. Four remain in
Commission (IPCC). in 1916 when Elfrida change and develop, (an ex-trustee Caroline) London with this shared
She was arrested three times Learning Disabilities Voices • They are paid to provide Rathbone moved to to make sure we can perfects the mix. Over the origin and specific focus on
and was twice held overnight The use of the spit hood itself say their most conservative hours of care, and do not London to work continue to provide high past few months, Caroline working with people with
in police cells, without a on such a young girl was calculation of additional receive a guaranteed with her cousin quality services in the future. has been busy poring over learning difficulties in their
parent, guardian or social not found to amount to funding needed in 2020 is weekly fee: as a result, Lilian Greg. This year For us, having a thorough boxes and boxes of ‘stuff’ local community:
worker present to support her. misconduct by the IPCC £1.166bn. Today, support for when they are successful at we will commemorate comprehensive picture of and for the first time we The Elfrida Society,
but the girl’s mother and her people with a learning reducing the needs of 100 years and our history which is known now have a professional Elfrida Rathbone Camden,
The girl, known as Child H, lawyer, Gus Silverman from disability comprises 30% of clients through better celebrate the and shared is a key part ‘Elfrida Catalogue’ of Lambeth Elfrida Rathbone
suffers from a rare Irwin Mitchell solicitors, social care funding. If this outcomes, the savings flow anniversary of of this work. It is definitely documents, all labelled, Society and Generate
neurological disorder similar have called for an immediate persists, based on an to commissioners and not the origins of the the aspect that our staff and referenced and filed in Opportunities Ltd.
to autism that can cause ban on the use of these hoods additional £800m raised for to them. Elfrida Society. service users (some of whom archive boxes. It’s all
sudden outbursts of anger. for children. Silverman said social care from the precept are both) are most excited suddenly getting very real. Over the past year we
Her disability had not been using such devices on children (council tax increases), the Supported housing So it is a year to look about. Leafing through Thanks to Caroline we are have reconnected to help
diagnosed at the time of the is a breach of their human coalition says there will be a under threat back, reflect on our past, copies of annual reports finally on the road to prepare for our centenary.
police contact, but her mother rights and amounts to inhuman £926m funding shortage for The limit on Local Housing our achievements, going back to the 1940s creating a proper We are also hoping to be
had told officers she believed and degrading treatment. learning disability support Allowance (LHA) rates will not experiences and lessons I can see why! professional archive. able to build on our plans
services in 2020. be applied to supported learned. It is also a year to with a successful Heritage
housing tenancies before implement ambitious realistic In the100 years since Elfrida The next step is to run a Lottery bid.
DUNDEE cHArITy WINS AWArD Learning Disability Voices April 2017, to allow Ministers plans to transform the Rathbone moved to London series of workshops for staff
gIVINg AccESS To £30,000 fUNDINg is a coalition of charities, to analyse the results of a organisation, to make sure to start working with people and service users, past and Whatever happens,

Digital passport key to their success not-for-profit and independent research project into Elfrida is fit for the future. with learning difficulties we present, to help us interpret this will be a year of
sector companies who provide supported housing costs
discovery and celebration
all this, fill in the blanks and
A Dundee charity that works teachers and other social learning disability services the Minister for Disabled bring it up to date. for our organisations.
to make society more workers of the person being in the UK, including, among People, Justin Tomlinson MP,
inclusive for people with cared for can upload and others, Voyage Care, United recently informed Parliament.
multiple learning disabilities access texts, images and Response, Lifeways, The Wilf STAy Up lATE AppEAlS for SUpporT
has won a national award. videos to more fully assess Ward Family Trust, Hft and If the cap is implemented, for USEr-lED rESEArcH proJEcT
PAMIS (Promoting a More their needs. Mencap, together representing as many as 82,000 specialist
Inclusive Society) helps 20 per cent of the total homes will become unviable oN moDElS of rESIDENTIAl cArE
people with profound and The charity also recently sector provision. and will be forced to close,
multiple learning difficulties campaigned for more at a time when the need for Stay Up Late is planning to work with support providers
in Scotland feel more part of accessible bathrooms for The Manifesto sets out the supported housing is greater launch a user-led research willing to be challenged and
their communities. people with learning challenges the sector is than ever. This also under- project, in partnership with who have the co-operation
difficulties and as a result facing. It points out that mines the Transforming Care a university, to look at the of senior management.
PAMIS won the award 130 extra accessible providers of support to people agenda. Planned supported different models of
against competition from toilets were created with a learning disability are housing developments residential support and how When and whether this
400 other organisations. across Scotland. particularly vulnerable to are already being put these models enable people project goes ahead
It is jointly given by GSK central government’s decisions on hold while this situation DANcINg for Joy with learning disabilities to depends on funding.
IMPACT, in association with Jenny Miller, chief executive on funding for local is clarified. live the lives they want. Anyone interested in
the King’s Fund. of PAMIS, said: “We are government and for vital care DanceSyndrome participants enjoying their regular supporting it are asked to
absolutely thrilled to have and support services, because Download the Care Crisis workshop at the New Era Centre, Accrington. The project will aim to look complete a short survey on
One of the main initiatives won this award not least their income differs from other Manifesto from: http:// DanceSyndrome is an inclusive arts charity that aims at what works and what the the Stay Up Late website
that helped PAMIS win because it has given us an care sectors in three key ways: www.learningdisabilityvoices. to inform and empower people through dance. challenges are. They will (www.stayuplate.org).
was its digital passport opportunity to highlight the co.uk/resource/downloads/ Workshops are led by trained dance leaders with
programme. The digital specific needs but also great • Staffing accounts for the LD_VOICES_MANIFESTO.pdf learning disabilities supported by professional artists. Apology
passport is an interactive contributions that people vast majority of their costs,
e-book that details a with profound and multiple because clients often have For further information, For more information email: In the last issue (Volume 29, No. 3) we printed a draft version
of Seán Kelly’s interview with Mark Stables containing some
person’s social, emotional learning disabilities and complex needs and require contact Alfie Brierley info@dancesyndrome.co.uk errors for which we apologise. The corrected version can be
and physical needs. their family carers make to 1:1 or 2:1 support, via 020 7054 9966 or or visit the website www.dancesyndrome.co.uk accessed on our website: www.cl-initiatives.co.uk
The doctors, nurses, carers, our lives”. 24 hours per day. alfie.brierley@weareicg.com

4 Vol 29 No 4 | Summer 2016 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk www.cl-initiatives.co.uk Community Living Vol 29 No 4 | Summer 2016 5