Latest news with #learningdisabilities
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Families told 'vital' respite centre in Bath will remain open
A respite centre for people with learning disabilities and autism is set to stay open until at least September next year after a U-turn. Newton House in Bath, Somerset, has been facing closure since late 2024 but the families, the care provider Dimensions and the council have been working to find a solution. A group including family representatives has recommended that Dimensions continue running the service until a new provider is Alison Born, cabinet member for adult services, said: "We know how important Newton House is to the families who use it." Newton House is the only place in the area that provides overnight respite care -giving both visitors and their carers a is currently accepting new referrals for people with complex needs. Ms Born said: "We are committed to keeping that support going while we work on a long-term plan. "We're grateful to the families and carers who've worked with us, and to Dimensions for agreeing to keep the service running until next September. "This gives families some peace of mind."She added that future respite care will stay within the council area and the needs of the families will be at the "heart of every decision". "There won't be any gaps in support," she added. The council will meet again in September to discuss a new provider.
Finextra
2 days ago
- Business
- Finextra
Project nemo demands better banking for adults with a disability
Banking for learning disabilities remains a critical challenge in today's digital economy. Project Nemo, a grassroots initiative advocating for disability inclusion in fintech, has released a major new report revealing how the financial sector continues to exclude adults with learning disabilities from safe and independent money management. 0 With transformational changes to the financial landscape over the last 18 years, in particular with the significant move away from cash (60% of all transactions by volume in 2008 to 12% in 2023, according to UK Finance) the learning disability community have been forced into a digital payments system that has not been designed with their needs in mind. 'Safe Spending for Adults with a Learning Disability: A Call to Action for Financial Services' launches this morning at a Project Nemo event bringing together fintechs, banks, trade bodies, disability charities and advocacy groups at Nationwide Building Society headquarters. Attendees include The Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability. It reveals the findings of the most comprehensive research to date into the barriers faced by adults with a learning disability and those who support them when managing money. Banking for learning disabilities requires tools that balance independence and oversight, something most banks overlook. The challenges of managing bank accounts for everyday spending have resulted in 87% of adults with a learning disability and their supporters turning to informal work arounds, often without disclosed statutory authority such as Lasting Power of Attorney or Deputyship. These workarounds, such as family members pretending to be the user while on the phone to the bank, or sharing bank card PIN numbers, introduce unnecessary risks. Whilst there are some dedicated fintech supported payments solutions, these don't appear to be particularly well known. Helpfully, the new report also suggests banking features that this user group would find most beneficial. The research, sponsored by Nationwide Building Society, also found that 32% of people with a learning disability don't have a bank account in their own name; and 61% say banks don't always do enough to meet their needs. The report shines a light on the fact that many of the recent advances in payments have actually made it significantly more difficult to make, receive, and manage payments for the 1.5 million people in the UK living with a learning disability and their supporters. Digital payments are a particular concern, as cash offers a physical sense of value and control that digital methods struggle to replicate. The increase in self-service terminals, decrease in physical bank branches and growth of shopping online have all reduced human interaction, which this community can be more reliant upon to help with understanding and completing purchases. Meanwhile increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics including exploiting identified vulnerabilities also make managing everyday money riskier for this underserved group. New fintech solutions could transform banking for learning disabilities, but awareness and adoption remain low. The research explored a range of potential money management features to aid safer spending for adults with a learning disability, and identified that: To aid independent user understanding, any features should use clear and simple language, supported by visual explanations where possible. The ability to customise to suit individual needs is critical to success of any products built for this community. Notifications or settings that give supporters oversight of spending and the opportunity to intercept risky purchases provide reassurance for both supporters and users and have potential to enable greater independence. Accessible and specialist customer support must be available to boost confidence and support longer term independence goals. Priority features for products built for this community include saving pots, the option to turn on a Calm Mode that reduces overwhelm, and wearable alternatives to payment cards. Kris Foster, Co-Founder of Project Nemo, who has a learning disability, comments: 'Too often, people speak for us, about us or in front of us and it's never our voice. This project, including this research report, for the first time, has centered adults with learning disabilities and seeks to understand what we want and need from financial services. Now, it's up to banks to take action. I want to see them break down the existing barriers and ensure that others don't have to fight the same battles for financial independence that I did.' Joanne Dewar, Co-Founder and Project Lead, Project Nemo, says: 'Safe Spending for Adults with a Learning Disability: A Call to Action for Financial Services shows how trends in payments, which many of us think of as improvements, are compounding challenges for an already vulnerable community. This comprehensive research gives voice to the learning disability community whose needs are often overlooked even within the context on disability inclusion or financial inclusion. This Learning Disability Week, I hope that UK banks use these new insights to re-evaluate the solutions that they offer to this vulnerable community, which would benefit many other consumers groups too. With the current focus on the National Payments Vision and Financial Inclusion Strategy, I hope this report ensures the needs of this community are better understood and prioritised.' Project Nemo has joined forces with Kathryn Townsend, Government Disability & Access Ambassador (banking sector) and Nationwide Head of Customer Vulnerability & Accessibility to launch four separate workstreams to improve financial inclusion of adults with a learning disability. The new report is a key deliverable of the Research & Insights workstream, delivered in partnership with organisations including Mencap, the learning disability charity and Dosh, the financial inclusion organisation. Members of this working group are primarily those working in the financial services industry who are parents of young adults with learning disabilities, so are highly attuned to their needs and the gaps in service provision. Inclusive design must be at the heart of banking for learning disabilities to avoid forcing risky workarounds. Kathryn Townsend, Government Disability & Access Ambassador (banking sector) and Nationwide Head of Customer Vulnerability & Accessibility, adds: 'Everyone deserves to manage their money with confidence, dignity and independence but for the 1.5 million people in the UK living with a learning disability that basic right is often denied. At Nationwide we are continuously looking at ways we can improve support for those with vulnerabilities. However there is so much more we can all do and I am calling on my peers in the banking industry to not just remove the potential pitfalls and potholes for those with a learning disability, but to consider the opportunity to build services with these users in mind.' Jon Sparkes, Chief Executive of learning disability charity Mencap, comments: 'People with a learning disability tell us that they can struggle to make payments safely because of complex banking systems, inaccessible payment options and a lack of easy read information. Because of these barriers, many worry about being more vulnerable to financial abuse and not being able to spend their money in the way they want to. Project Nemo's work is a hugely important step towards ensuring the 1.5 million people with a learning disability across the UK can make their financial choices safely and independently.' Improving banking for learning disabilities is a win for both accessibility and innovation in financial services. This Project Nemo report is part of a wider project to help banks and fintechs improve solutions for adults with a learning disability.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Woman demands enormous amount of cash from old school after she graduated unable to read or write
A young woman with learning disabilities has demanded $3 million to settle her lawsuit with a Connecticut public school system that allegedly allowed her to graduate without being unable to read or write. The law firm of Barry, Taylor & Levesque, LLC, presented the hefty settlement offer on behalf of Aleysha Ortiz, 19, to settle the claim against the Harford Board of Education on Tuesday. The current offer addresses three legal counts, including negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The complaint also names the City of Hartford, and one of Ortiz's special education teachers, Tilda Santiago, and alleges that she was subjected to bullying, harassment and/or negligence. Ortiz was only five when she moved with her mother from Puerto Rico and was enrolled in the Hartford Public Schools district as a first grader at age of six. She soon had difficulties learning because of a speech impediment, dyslexia, ADHD, and the language barrier since English was not her first language. 'My time in Hartford Public Schools was a time that I don't wish upon anyone,' Ortiz revealed in an interview with ABC affiliate WTNH in February. Ortiz, who is attending the University of Connecticut on a part-time basis, recalled how difficult it was each time the new school calendar year arrived. 'Every first day of school, I would tell the teacher I cannot read and write so please be patient for me, so everyone knew,' she explained. 'I would cry knowing the people who had big titles knew this was happening, and no one stepped up to do something about it.' In the lawsuit, Ortiz alleged Santiago 'yell at, belittle, and humiliate [her] in front of other students and teachers'. 'Ortiz would frequently run to other teachers and/or administrators in tears and emotional distress,' the lawsuit said. To ensure that she did not fall behind in her classes, Ortiz told the network that she would dedicate her time away from school to listening to recorded lessons and used talk-to-text technology to fulfill her assignments. 'The first time getting an 'A' was very emotional,' Ortiz said. 'Sometimes, I would fake an 'A'; it was very emotional to know I earned that 'A.'' Ortiz was able to improve her grades and meet the credits required to graduate. But she didn't feel happy about her time at the school. has reached out to the lawyer representing the City of Hartford and attorneys for the Board of Education and Santiago.
Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Times
We don't see anyone like us in jobs, say people with Down's syndrome
A lack of visible workplace role models is a big barrier to seeking employment for those with learning disabilities such as Down's syndrome or autism, a study has found. There are about 1.3 million people with learning disabilities in the UK, but only about 5 per cent are employed. Three quarters of people with a learning disability would be more confident in applying for jobs if they saw similar people in customer-facing roles, according to the research by the polling company Savanta. Only 16 per cent of employed people with learning disabilities said they knew someone they could learn from with a similar condition in the workforce. More than 500 people with learning disabilities and their carers took part in the survey, conducted for the Hilton hotel group. Only a quarter of carers said they had ever been served by someone with a learning disability. A separate poll of 2,000 consumers found high support among the general public for having people with learning disabilities in customer service jobs. Three quarters of respondents said there were not enough people with such disabilities working in hospitality jobs, and more than nine in ten said it was important to see staff from all backgrounds in such roles. Although more than half of the UK's disabled population were in work last year, the share for those with a learning disability was only 5 per cent GETTY IMAGES Sam Innes, a food and beverage assistant with Down's syndrome at the Waldorf Hilton in London, said it had been a relief to find work at the hotel after struggling to find a job. 'I've always wanted to work and be around people, and I knew a hotel would be the perfect place to do that,' he said. 'Having a job helps people with learning disabilities feel valued and shows others what we can achieve when given the chance. It's boosted my confidence and helped me become more independent.' Mark Costello, principal at Aurora Foxes, a hospitality college that supports young people with learning disabilities, said: 'When people with learning disabilities see others like themselves thriving in customer-facing roles, it inspires confidence and ambition.' Stephen Cassidy, senior vice-president of Hilton in the UK and Ireland, said: 'Representation matters — seeing people like yourself succeed at work builds confidence and opens doors to career opportunity. 'Our team members with learning disabilities contribute across a wide range of roles, from front-of-house positions like reception and concierge to behind the scenes work in kitchens, housekeeping, and revenue management.' A diverse team brought 'unique strengths' and 'enrich[es] our culture,' Cassidy added. 'By providing the right support and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, we empower individuals to reach their full potential and demonstrate that inclusion is a powerful driver of success in hospitality.'
BBC News
5 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Phased plan to build Alexandra House of Joy in Bicester announced
The time it will take to build a specialist care and respite centre for adults with severe learning disabilities will take longer because of rising construction House of Joy will now be built in three phases, instead of all at once, at a site on Middle Wretchwick Farm off Wretchwick Way, in Bicester, charity said the strategy would ensure it progressed in a "responsible, sustainable way - one that reflects the needs of our future guests, the realities of the current climate, and the generosity of our supporters to date".It has so far raised more than £950,000 to build the centre of excellence, with phase one expected to begin in mid-2026. The charity is named after founder Rachael Scott-Hunter's daughter Alexandra, who died of sepsis in 2019. She had a brain haemorrhage four days after she was born and grew up with severe learning Scott-Hunter said her dream was to support all aspects of care under one roof."Everything you could possibly think of that they needed," she said. "And I know it's never ever been done before. There are respite centres, there are day centres, nobody's ever brought the whole lot together." 'Long-term vision' When Alexandra House of Joy registered with the Charity Commission in 2018, it was aiming to construct all the facilities at once at a projected cost of £2.1m. But it said because of inflation, the Covid pandemic and supply chain challenges, this had risen to about £ said the three-phase construction model would enable it "to begin supporting families sooner, while retaining the full scope of our long-term vision". Phase one involves the construction of a purpose-built centre of four ensuite bedrooms with individual patios, an assisted bathroom, accessible toilets, a sluice room, nurses' station, staff room, communal dining area, kitchen and reception will also be three bespoke activity rooms offering music, arts and crafts, and sensory two sees two additional bedrooms added, as well as a hydrotherapy pool and two more activity three adds two high-dependency hospice bedrooms, a family stayover flat, a chapel of rest, another activity room, and convalescent support services. The charity said: "This phased plan represents a careful and deliberate response to changing circumstances. "It honours the original promise made to our supporters and preserves the long-term goal of a centre that provides both short-term respite and holistic end-of-life care."It said it was moving forward "with renewed energy and hope". You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
