Mencap at the party conferences

Thursday 16 September 2010

Fringe events at the party conferences will focus on social care

Each year, the party conferences of the three main political parties provide an opportunity for Mencap to meet with MPs, councillors and representatives from across the charity sector to raise issues of concern for people with a learning disability and their families and carers.

This year, Mencap – along with the National Autistic Society and the MS Society – will host a fringe event at each conference, focusing on the reform of social care for disabled adults of a working age.

Mencap's campaigns manager, Esther Foreman, said: "Our fringe events, 'Face the FACS: A fresh start for social care', will bring together MPs, councillors, service users and others with an interest in social care to debate this very important issue. Fair Access to Care Services (FACS) for people with a learning disability is vitally important if people are to have the respect and dignity they deserve."

"During the events, people with a learning disability and their families will talk about the importance of prevention, joined-up services and advocacy to improve social care. Louisa Whait, Mencap's national project manager for profound and multiple learning disabilities, will also talk about the Involve Me project and ways in which access to high-quality advocacy services leads to significantly improved outcomes for disabled people."

Attendees at the events will include the minister for disabled people Maria Miller MP and shadow health minister Barbara Keeley MP.

Trevor Phillips, head of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, chaired the fringe event at the Liberal Democrat party conference on Monday 20 September.

Further fringe events will take place at the Labour and Conservative conferences on 28 September and 5 October.

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