16 January 2009

Learning Disability Week 2009

The Changing Places campaign will be this year’s theme.

Learning Disability Week is a national awareness week run by Mencap. This year it will take place from Monday 22 to Sunday 28 June, with the theme of the ‘Changing Places, Changing Lives’ campaign.

Standard accessible toilets do not meet the needs of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD). Mencap, together with the Changing Places Consortium, is campaigning for fully accessible toilets – with a hoist, changing bench and plenty of space – to be installed in all big public places, including city centres, shopping centres, arts venues, hospitals and motorway service stations.

Without access to Changing Places toilets, carers are often forced to change family members with PMLD on a dirty toilet floor with little or no privacy. The alternative is to limit outings to a couple of hours or not go out at all.

“The Changing Places campaign is so important because it is about more than just toilets; it's about people's quality of life,” said Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive.

Find out more about Learning Disability Week