Parent urges others to engage with Transitions Bill call for evidence

An appeal to parents and carers, asking them to submit evidence in support of Johann Lamont MSP’s Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood)(Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament was broadcast on the news channel Scotland at 7 (from 50:15) this week.

Kate Monahan, a parent whose son attends Camphill School Aberdeen, made the appeal on Scottish television on Tuesday, urging people with experience of  the transitions process to engage with this potentially life-changing legislation.

Commenting afterwards, Kate told us:

The Scottish Government are trying to improve social care for people with a disability, bringing more respect and compassion to the system.

Legislative change is essential to empower families and endow us with meaningful, defensible rights, in a way non-mandatory guidance alone can never do.

I would urge all parents and carers who have a child with a learning disability and who have gone through, or who are currently going through, a transition from youth to adult services to engage with this call for evidence.

Voices of support for the Bill

Johann Lamont MSP:

As a former teacher, I know only too well about the challenges faced by young people with a disability in moving on into further and higher education or finding work or training.

Since 2008 the percentage of Scottish disabled people in employment has fallen. We need to do much more to assist young disabled people during this important and challenging time in their lives; my Bill aims to help address the problems they face and provide the additional support that they so desperately need.

Director of Camphill Scotland:

For years disabled young people have been gravely and unnecessarily disadvantaged at the crucial transition stage to adulthood.

This Bill draws on robust research evidence and the compelling testimony of young disabled people themselves. It proposes clear and workable measures that will make a real and lasting difference to individual disabled young people, their families and wider society.

Parent:

Our family’s lived-experience of transition for our disabled son was prolonged, traumatic and inaccessible.

The process appeared to have no proper framework, governance or safeguards. This added enormous extra distress to our already stressful lives at a moment of severe crisis. We support the Bill for the sake of others who come after.

Bill Scott, Senior Policy Adviser at Inclusion Scotland:

The measures outlined in this Bill are needed now more than ever in order to avoid the long term scarring of young disabled people’s lives.

Young disabled people are not asking for much. Just a little help in taking their first steps in adult life.

Watch Kate’s interview on Scotland at 7

Find out how you can support the Transitions Bill