I spent a lot of my working life helping people with learning disabilities to communicate, and to use their communication skills to get what they wanted. The starting point was to teach my staff group to listen and watch to establish interaction, no mean feat in Day Centres in the '70's and '80's where the staff/service user ratio was 1/12!!!!

A book I found useful to gain some insight into the lives of people with CP and the changes that have happened in the UK over the last 30 years is "The Scallagrigg" by William Horwood, the chap who wrote the Duncton Wood books. It is a remarkable book, with incredible insight, a stormin' story, and a two boxes of tissues ending.

People with disabilities have had a very tough time at the hands of social services and other organisations. People like me, unfortunately, have fallen by the wayside, unable to fight the red tape any longer, and unable to convince the powers that be that the only REAL resources are well trained and experienced people, not fancy special buildings.

Sorry, this is a Hobby Horse of mine. I suppose the feelings of failure will never go away.............

Cheers, Bron.