News

For the past three years my health has been declining steadily, making it difficult for me to function and to lead an active and normal life. This move into a dependent disabled state is a shocking thought. I am becoming increasingly concerned about the services I am excluded from.

The government's focus and agenda is on reducing the social exclusion faced by marginalised communities, individuals and groups. Yet, I am finding that the disability and social care systems that are supposed to be providing me with support and services are the ones that I am having to fight against.


I recall one battle to regain my entitlement to a blue disabled parking badge, when I found to my cost that the government had changed the entitlement criteria for qualification. While I contested this I could not use many public and disability facilities for six months. I had to go through the Christmas period unable to use any of my local facilities or those in the adjoining town. I had to write forcefully to my local authority challenging its refusal to issue me a badge without any redress, visit or assessment process.

My concern was that the criteria may have become more stringent, but the forms I have been filling for the past six years have not changed. No attempt was made to ask for more graphic detail to judge this new criterion from me. Since going through this stressful period, I have come across many people who have been denied a badge without any redress. How many people who need these vital facilities have been stopped by the lengthy and stressful blocking method? It took more than six months for a social worker in the local authority's disability team to be allocated to my case and assess my disability and needs.

The next battle I faced was just after I took a job as a mentor to support, empower and encourage disabled people. I was referred to the access-to-work service, which I believed would provide me with support and access to help with my new employment. It has taken this organisation more than seven months and a lot of stress to meet my access needs. The battle still continues. Administration and procedures I had put in place over the past six months have now had to be retraced and adapted to the new methods being created to meet my needs.


Another barrier I had to overcome was the unreliable cleaning company I was assigned. Where is the community care and involvement from services that are supposed to be there to encourage care, involvement and inclusion? They need to make disabled people feel "normal" and included within society. The barriers I am encountering are the ones created by staff and services that feel they know what people like me want and need. All those concerned with making, shaping and creating the services that are appropriate to our needs must wake up.

Carol Jenkin is a black disability and mental health activist.