EXPERT COMMENT LAST UPDATED : 03 DECEMBER 2019
To mark International Day of Persons with Disabilities today (Tuesday 3 December 2019), Samantha Salmon, Senior Lecturer in Learning Disability Nursing at Birmingham City University, and activist Paula McGowan explain how everyone can take steps to make life more inclusive for people living with learning disabilities.
Paula has been campaigning for mandatory training in autism and learning disabilities for healthcare professionals since the untimely death of her youngest son Oliver. The Government recently confirmed its intention to deliver this, following Paula’s Government petition and campaigning.
Treat people as equals, not subhuman
One of the biggest things people can do to be more inclusive is to look at the person in front of them as just that, a person, Paula said:
“We all need to remember that people with autism and learning disability are human beings like the rest of us. They have the right to the same quality of healthcare and education as the rest of us. We need to remember to treat them as equals, not subhuman. They have voices, we need to listen to them and they need to be heard.
“If we can’t understand what they’re saying, we need to look for other means to help them express themselves and not assume that we know more than that person – because we don’t.”
Let them tell us how we can help
Choose words carefully
Samantha agreed that language is key to being inclusive and treating people with learning disabilities with respect: “The language we use is so important and often easy to change. Seemingly innocent phrases can hold extremely negative connotations so taking the time to think about the meaning behind your words can really make a difference.”
Put yourself in their shoes
Samantha added: “Disability is such a huge area, there are plenty of blogs and sites from people who share their everyday experiences of life with a disability and how other people have made them feel.
“This is the best place to start for those wanting to gain a better understanding of what it is like to live with a learning disability.”
Birmingham City University is the largest trainer of undergraduate nurses in the Midlands. For more information on Learning Disability Nursing at Birmingham City University, please visit the University’s website.
Read more about Oliver McGowan’s story and Paula’s award winning campaign on the Oliver’s Campaign website.