• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Call for action on adult communication

Call for action on adult communication

By guest on 2nd December 2009 Category: News Archive

Listen

A disability charity has called on the government to carry out a national audit to find out how many disabled adults in the UK have speech, language and communication needs (SLCN).

Scope also wants the National Audit Office to discover what services are available and how many adults are not receiving the support they need.

The recommendations are included in the final report from Scope’s No Voice, No Choice campaign, which says that everyone who can benefit from augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) – such as high-tech communication aids, sign systems and symbols – should receive the equipment and support they need to communicate.

The charity says “radical” improvements are needed to services providing communication-related equipment and support, and has called for a network of regional centres of AAC expertise to support local services.

The report criticises the “fragmented approach” to provision of AAC services and the “lack of specialist expertise”, and calls for a guarantee of lifelong provision and ongoing support for those who use AAC, as well as improvements to the AAC workforce.

Labour MP Roger Berry has tabled a Commons early day motion backing calls for an audit.

In 2007, Scope estimated that as many as 600,000 people in the UK could benefit from AAC, but it believes the real level of need could be much higher.

The campaign has secured a government commitment to improving services for children with communication impairments, but it wants this extended to adults.

Martin Pistorius spent 14 years unable to communicate before he met someone who introduced him to AAC.

He said: “I had no real way to communicate and even when I did make attempts to communicate, nobody understood me.

“In fact, they didn’t even see it as an attempt to communicate.”

He can now communicate by using an infra-red head-mouse, an alphabet board and hand signs.

Ruth Scott, Scope’s director of policy and campaigns, said: “The government has made good progress on improved communication-based support for children.

“It now needs to turn its attention to tackling the woeful situation for adults with communication impairments.

“Without knowing the true picture of how many disabled adults have communication needs, little can be done to ensure they are provided with the right support.”

The Department of Health was unable to comment.

1 December 2009

Share this post:

TwitterFacebookWhatsAppReddit

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

Access

Latest Stories

Disabled high-rise leaseholders are living in post-Grenfell fear of fire and financial ruin

Disabled people highlight scores of lockdown concerns

Regulator investigates DWP over universal credit ‘cover-up’

Tomlinson held just a handful of external meetings every month early in pandemic

US retail giant faces legal action over new face covering rule

Minister allows transport industry its fourth exemption from access laws

Government’s pandemic failings caused us ‘horrendous’ challenges, say DPOs

Watchdog has approved care settings for COVID patients in only three-fifths of areas

High court is asked to order fresh inquest into death of Jodey Whiting

MPs call for inquiry into government’s role in COVID deaths of disabled people

Advice and Information

DWP: The case for the prosecution

Readspeaker

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2021 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web