Simon Parkinson, Director of external relations and communities at learning disability
A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things. charity Mencap, comments:
Mencap welcomes the priorities and proposals announced today by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Involving families and people with a learning disability is crucial, and we are pleased that the CQC recognises this.
Despite the government
The Government are the people who run the country. The Government decide how much tax
Tax is the money that pays for things like schools, hospitals and the police. There are different types of taxes like income tax
Income tax is the money that is taken out of the money you earn every month. It helps to pay for things we all need like hospitals and schools. , VAT
VAT is also called Value Added Tax. VAT is the extra money you pay when you buy things. The money goes to the government to pay for things like schools and hospitals. and council tax
Council
A council is also called a local authority
A local authority is also called a council. They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live like schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection. . They are a group of people who make decisions about some of the things in the area where you live. These include: schools, social care (support for people), parks and dustbin collection. Tax is the money that people pay to the council
The NHS is the National Health Service. The NHS gives free healthcare to everyone in the UK and includes things like your GP (doctors) surgery and hospitals. ) should work. cuts
Cuts are when there is less money to pay for things like clubs and support. in social services, the majority of people continue to get good care and support from dedicated staff in well led services. The appalling scandal of Winterbourne View and the CQC's subsequent inspections of similar services, however, showed the need for us all to work together to ensure that there are no further examples of poor care and abuse
Abuse is when someone bullies you and does or says something to you that makes you feel hurt, upset or scared. .
Mencap is encouraged to see much needed steps from the CQC to ensure that their inspections, regulation and monitoring of care homes and other adult social care services root out bad care and ensure people with a learning disability are treated with the respect
Respect means showing someone you think about someone's feelings, wishes or rights
Rights are the things everyone should be allowed to do like have a say, or go to school. . they deserve.
-ENDS-
For more information or to arrange an
interview
An interview is a meeting where you talk to someone or a group of people about something. When you have an interview for a job, you have to answer questions and say why you would be good at the job. The person who gives the best answers is offered the job.
with a Mencap
spokesperson
A spokesperson is someone who speaks up about something. They usually speak up on behalf of a group or
organisation
An organisation are a group of people who work together.
.
or
case study
A case study is a piece of writing that tells people more information about someone's
experience
Experience is when you have learned or tried something before.
.
, contact the Mencap Press Office, on 020 7696 5414 or media@mencap.org.uk.
About Mencap
There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK. Mencap works to support people with a learning disability, their families and carers by fighting to change laws, improve services and access to
education
Education is when you learn things. When you fill in a form to get a job, education means you write where you went to school, college or university.
,
employment
Employment means having a job.
and
leisure
Leisure is when you have time to do things you enjoy like playing sports or going to the pub.
facilities. Mencap supports thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.
For advice and information about learning disability and Mencap services in your area, contact Mencap Direct on 0808 808 1111 (9am-5pm, Monday-Friday) or email help@mencap.org.uk.