Self-advocacy for People with Learning Difficulties: Does it have a future?

ABSTRACT

Within such a short-time self-advocacy has become not only fashionable amongst organisations of people with learning difficulties, but also with service providers and non-disabled individuals who have worked in traditional services. The concerns are that self-advocacy has become a process of consulting with users about what they want from services which are usually designed and delivered by non-disabled people. This had led to people recognising and accepting choices that are on offer by non-disabled people. As a consequence an artificial boundary around self-advocacy has been created which has led to people only speaking up about what society is prepared to make available (usually in form of segregated and supervised services) rather than challenging the (lack of) power that people with learning difficulties have in their lives. For people with learning difficulties to gain real change in their personal lives self-advocacy needs to be developed to ensure they not only have the communication skills, but have an appreciation of the importance of changing rules, policies and laws which institutions, local authorities and Governments make to ensure their rights are protected. If they have an appreciation of laws and policies it will result in real change and self-advocacy won't be a tool for service providers. Also, self-advocacy must include speaking up about alternatives to choices being offered, recognising the importance of supporting one another in common areas of concern and to challenge the political system to legislate to provide relevant changes. I have developed a self-advocacy framework model which includes all the elements needed to advocate and achieve permanent change.