Sadly the Scottish Learning Disability Awards will not be taking place in 2021 due to the ongoing situation around the COVID-19 pandemic and the restrictions that are in place. We know that this will be a great disappointment to many people, but hope to be back again soon when it is safe to get together. SCLD looks forward to celebrating …
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of The Child has been incorporated in Scotland! So what now? The Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD) Chief Executive, Charlie McMillan, and Chief Executive of PAMIS, Jenny Miller reflect on the bill, and what needs to be achieved as it becomes law. Yesterday, The United Nations Convention on The Rights …
In December 2020 SCLD issued a statement in regard to human rights concerns over the prioritisation of people with learning/intellectual disabilities in the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. In view of the recent publication of research, and from our own dialogue with people with learning/intellectual disabilities and the organisations who support them, we have issued an updated statement on the necessity of …
The Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory have published statistics on the mortality rate for people with learning/intellectual disabilities in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistics show that people within the learning/intellectual disabilities population were more than three times more likely to die from COVID-19 than those in the general population. SCLD has issued a statement in response to the publication …
As of Tuesday 5th January 2021, the Scottish Government has announced a nationwide lockdown. People are advised to stay at home as much as possible and to only leave home for essential reasons. You can find out more about the new restrictions here. To help people with learning/intellectual disabilities to understand how the lockdown restrictions will affect them, the Scottish …
“It is many months since the start of the first COVID lockdown in March, and things are different now. Winter has started and people wear masks when they go into shops or travel on buses and trains. It has been hard not getting to see friends and family as much. It has also been hard not getting to do lots …
To mark the United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities on 3rd December, the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD) invited key stakeholders to take part in a virtual roundtable, on incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) into Scottish law. At the event we heard inputs from the United …
It has become clear from UK-wide data that people with a learning/intellectual disability are disproportionately at risk from, and affected by, the COVID-19 virus. We are now hearing positive news about the development and approval of vaccines for Covid-19. The following Position Statement from the Scottish Commission for People with Learning Disabilities (SCLD) outlines the human rights case on why …
A team of university researchers from across the UK are looking for people with learning disabilities to take part in a new study about their experiences during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The team is led by Professor Chris Hatton (Manchester Metropolitan University) and Professor Richard Hastings (University of Warwick). Professor Andrew Jahoda (University of Glasgow) is leading the Scottish part …
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many things to light in terms of inequalities in our society, and this has certainly been the case when it comes to the welfare and human rights of people with learning disabilities. It was at the height of the pandemic in the April of 2020, that it became apparent that there was not adequate data on how COVID-19 …