Photosymbols @photosymbols@learningdisability.social

I'm a social scientist, working on social and health inequalities, #participatoryresearch and #socialjustice stuff. Generally will be sharing work related things 🙂 #followbackfriday

About our recent meet-up with the #GigBuddies projects from around UK and Ireland. Talking about volunteer engagement, cost of living and showing our impact.
It was a wonderful day of ideas and connection
https://stayuplate.org/gig-buddies-partners-day/

I wrote a short blog about parental advocacy for Making Chromosomes Count: https://makingchromosomescount.co.uk/2022/11/08/parental-advocacy-via-a-pink-ice-cream-van/

#advocacy #disability #academictwitter #SEND #parenting #DownSyndrome #MCC #SpecialEducation

'Getting my ADHD diagnosis at 53' - As #ADHDAwarenessMonth draws to an end I felt it was time to share a personal reflection on my recent diagnosis
@adhdawareuk

@adhdadultuk
https://medium.com/@paulrichards_75021/adhd-diagnosis-at-53-67a871e14750

Jordyn Zimmerman, in case you don’t know her, is a non-speaking Autist and a powerful advocate for the right to communicate (something she herself was denied until she was 18)

If you have a chance to see it, do watch the documentary ‘This is not about me’

#AllAutistics deserve access to be heard, whether in speech or using #AAC

It’s so important to #ListenToNonSpeakers

https://www.jordynzimmerman.com/

Hello, so I guess I'll start with an #introduction

I'm a crowdfunded #OpenJustice journalist, mostly reporting from coroners courts.

I tend to focus on the premature and preventable deaths of learning disabled and #autistic people.

I also work with universities, researchers and health and social care orgs to get #research into practice

I rage a lot, and find witnessing/sharing helps. I also waffle on about non work stuff, a fair bit

BBC film about my work here https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-55986827

It is easy to blame “bad apples” to protect our collective fantasy of angelic NHS staff. But life is more complicated than this, as are the dynamics in health systems https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/nov/10/england-mental-health-services-compassion-scandals-patients

This is spot on from @Shrink_at_Large IMO, it's too easy to blame a lack of funding for what's actually a lack of ambition

Since I don't believe there is a #DisabledInSTEM account here, I am going to encourage anyone who is #disabled and a #scientist to consider participating either as a Mentee or a Mentor. The application period is now open. Mentors can either be disabled themselves or allies!

https://disabledinstem.wordpress.com/