Here at WELD, we see our job as bringing you the most up to date evidence relating to supporting people with learning disabilities and that usually means evidence published in journals or reports from researchers or development organisations.

Today’s post is slightly different in that we want to draw attention to the launch of a major campaign by the Learning Disability Coalition, which represents 15 learning disability organisations, and over 160 supporter organisations and which campaigns to ensure there is sufficient public funding for people with a learning disability to have the same life chances and choices as everyone else.

The campaign is based on a document called ‘Agreeing Together – a contract for the future’:

The document sets out 15 changes the coalition partners believe need to be made in the next ten years to make life better for people with learning disabilities.

As the authors point out, the agreements required are not exceptional or startling, they are simply the clear expression of rights that anybody living in a society like Britain in the 21st century might expect, but that for many people with learning disabilities are not being achieved.

The agreements cover a range of everyday issues including the right to equal and fair treatment, safety and security, listening to people speaking for themselves, being a part of communities, the chance to have the choice of where to live and the chance to get a job.

Leaders with a learning disability have signed up to the agreement and say in the report why they think these agreements are so important. Some MPs have been asked to sign at the launch in London and evarybody is asked to send the contract to their local MP to ask them to sign it too.

You can read the report and find out about the campaign here: Agreeing together: A contract for the future, Learning Disability Coalition