Hi folks,
I have just come across a new report which looks at the lives of people with disabilities and their families in Australia. My apologies for any cross posting. The synopsis of the Report says:
Disabilities report exposes exclusion, neglect
Julia Medew
August 10, 2009
JULIAN McAlpine is a happy eight-year-old boy living with Down syndrome. He goes to school, has plenty of friends and attends scouts with his brothers - but Julian's mother fears for his future.
''I want the same thing for Julian as my other sons. I want him to have somewhere to live, I want him to have someone to love, I want him to have a job, I want him to live an ordinary life,'' Catherine McAlpine says.
''But it's scary. You talk to other parents with adult offspring and it really is difficult to achieve all of those things.''
Mrs McAlpine's concerns are well founded. A new Federal Government report documenting the experiences of Australians with disabilities has found widespread discrimination, social exclusion and a chronic lack of services to help people with disabilities live fulfilled lives.
The report, informed by more than 3000 voices, reveals high-level concern about social exclusion, discrimination and human rights violations.
In one case, a boy was refused an organ transplant because of his disability, the report says.
It also said the design of public transport and buildings limits access to the community and that disabled people experience much greater rates of social isolation, with 15 per cent of those aged 15 to 59 living alone compared to 6.8 per cent of people without disabilities.
Education and job opportunities are also major problems and there are calls for a lifetime care-and-support scheme to meet individuals' needs.
Minister for Families and Community Services Jenny Macklin said the report would help ''turn around the years of neglect to make sure people with disability have the opportunity to be involved in their communities, where possible have a job and a life that is meaningful and worthwhile''.
The Federal Government was providing more than $5 billion to the states and territories over the next five years through the National Disability Agreement to provide specialist disability services, including respite, supported accommodation and early intervention, she said.
Mrs McAlpine hopes people will read the report and that the Government will continue to act.
''I really hope disability is not thrown in the too-hard basket,'' she said.
''I don't think people realise how easily it can happen to them, how easily you can have a child with Down syndrome, a car accident or be diagnosed with a brain tumour. It could be just around the corner.''
The report can be downloaded at:
http://www.fahcsia.gov.au/sa/disability/pubs/policy/community_consult/Documents/NDS_report.pdf
For anyone who wishes to have me send them a copy, in Word or PDF, please mail me off list and I shall send it on in the way you wish to have it.
Kind regards,
Frank
Frank Mulcahy
'Franmar'
2 Castle Village Court
Celbridge
Co Kildare
Ireland
Tel: +353 1627 1314
Mobile/Cell Phone: +353 8723 44934
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