Give Your Views!

Trafford CIL is contributing to a wider discussion on the new government disability strategy. The event will take place in the Bowden Room at the CIL on Thursday 16^th February, between 10am and 12pm.

Our parent organisation Breakthrough UK has been invited to contribute directly to a new cross-government disability strategy. To support this, the government has published a discussion document with questions.

Trafford CIL is looking to consult with our clients and members to make sure we represent the experiences of disabled people we are in contact with in our response.

To share your views, please contact us to book your place at this event:

Date: Thursday 16^th February 2012

Time: 10am – 12pm

Location: Bowden Room, Trafford CIL, Atkinson Road, Sale, M33 6FZ

If you would like to attend, please contact us by 13th February to confirm and to tell us about any access requirements.

Tel: 0161 850 0645

Textphone: 07505 684 928

Email: m.barnes@traffordcil.co.uk

The discussion will be around practical ideas that will make a real difference to disabled people’s lives. The three areas that the government want to focus on are:

• Realising aspirations – what is needed so that disabled people get the right support at different points in their lives to fulfil their potential and goals in education, work and independent living?
• Increasing individual control – how to ensure that disabled people have personal control over the services they receive, for example within housing, travel or employment, and that this support is delivered in the way individuals want it?
• Changing attitudes and behaviours – how to promote positive attitudes and behaviours towards disabled people so that disabled people are fully included in all areas of society, and that discrimination and harassment are dealt with properly whenever they happen?

On the day, participants will:

1. Have an understanding of the planned disability strategy, its context and their role in developing it.

2 Feedback and offer practical suggestions / good practice examples across the three main areas.

3. Give views on how the disability strategy should be effectively monitored and enforced, once in place.

Our feedback will then be submitted to Breakthrough UK for inclusion in the formal response to the consultation. The government say that they will look at everyone’s suggestions and work with disabled people to publish a new strategy in the spring.

To find out more, visit www.odi.gov.uk/fulfillingpotential