I watched a documentry today. It was about long stay hospitals for the learning disabled-or as they were known then the 'mentally handicapped'. The year was 1980, just over 20 years ago. What I saw will haunt me forever and i'm not ashamed to admit when i got home i cried. People had spent 50-60 years in these hospitals where they suffered abuse and isolation. families sent there young children to the institutions on the advice of doctors and professionals. These children suffered outrageous abuse ranging from being tied up to being sexually abused. Why? because they had been diagnosed as having a learning difficulty. These people basically lived in what i can only describe as being concentration camps. People with learning difficulties are striving to be accepted into society and to lead a normal life. Unfortunately this is a long and difficult process as many people use the medical model where the disabled are concerned. eg( defective, sick, objects of pity) Even today people with learning difficulties are exluded from our society but now we call these insitutions special schools, residential care and day centres. Isn't about time we gave people a break and started to consider that they have just as much to offer to society as we do. I know the UK isn't the only country with this shameful past and many countries still consider institutionalisation as an option. Thanks for reading this. Joanna 🙂
It's difficult to understand people's reaction to disability. I used to play limited overs cricket and was sponsored for every run I scored. All proceeds went to Monyhull Hospital in Birmingham, which is for people of all ages with "disabilities".
When I told people whom I'd asked for sponsorship where their money was going, a lot of them said "I'm not giving my money to those loonies". Well people like that deserve nothing.
The "patients" from Monyhull came with us to all the games and the joy on their faces when we were winning, even 10 years on, still brings tears to my eyes.
If the whole world treated everybody as they do, then this would be a far better place to live in.
Originally posted by wucky3it should have been done long ago - but it is a difficult fight because of various interest groups (some extremely well-meaning - others not so).
Isn't about time we gave people a break and started to consider that they have just as much to offer to society as we do
i spent several years working towards integrating kids placed in special education systems. one of my teachers in sped certification was quadriplegic who had been institionalized for years. she had been rescued by my other teacher, had earned her masters and was teaching at york university in toronto. together they had founded the Integration Action Group and had developed the model of the support circle. it proved to be an extremely successful integration mechanism and i certainly made full use of many of the ideas in my work back then.
in 2000, my wife developed a caregivers support model based on the original support circle concepts and it has been implemented with considerable success throughout our local health region. if you are interested go to http://www.familycaregiverssupport.org/
a person's access to society should not depend on what they are able to offer. rather, it bears witness to the society in question by how all its members are treated.
in friendship,
prad
hi prad...of course you are right. being able to offer something into society shouldn't be the reason why you are accepted for who you are. (does that make sense?) Unfortunately most of the early institutions/asylums were built entirely for the purpose of taking away from society those who were seen as being unable to contribute. As more and more towns became industrialised people with a disability were seen as a burden by many...also Darwins argument for 'survival of the fittest' made way for people such as Treadgold to identify people with a learning disability as an alien threat to civilised society thus leading to the rise of eugenicism. on a more cheery note.....
I recently did a piece of research on the circles of support programmes in the uk. impressive stuff!
joanna🙂
Originally posted by wucky3Keep up the good work. You've got my support !
hi prad...of course you are right. being able to offer something into society shouldn't be the reason why you are accepted for who you are. (does that make sense?) Unfortunately most of the early institutions/asylums were built entirely for ...[text shortened]... cles of support programmes in the uk. impressive stuff!
joanna🙂
Originally posted by wucky3one of the revelations that became obvious as we built circles was the contribution made by the so-called beneficiary.
Unfortunately most of the early institutions/asylums were built entirely for the purpose of taking away from society those who were seen as being unable to contribute.
i illustrate with a single example (from the early 1980s), catherine, who had been brain-damaged as a result of vaccination to the point where she couldn't talk, much less look after her basic needs. being institutionalized for most of her life hadn't helped the cause either.
she was 14 when the circle consisting of (1 facilitator, several students as well as an academic 'heavy' or 2, to take out any skeptical badguys) was formed around her and integrated into a regular class within the catholic school system (the public system at that time was apparently too all-knowing to consider this innovation). there was some resistance by a few teachers, mostly because they had trouble dealing with the idea that catherine would not participate in quite the same way as the others, but most were amenable to giving it a try. the program went on for several years and catherne eventually 'graduated' when she reached an appropriate age.
during that time, her circle had grown into a closeknit group of feisty (it wasn't always smooth going), knowledgeable companions some of whom went into the education field later. it is important to note that while some of these students were always quite stable, many were troubled, rebellious, angry towards various aspects of their own existence. being part of the circle changed much of that for them - they had a cause and more importantly they had a friend who they were going to fight for! apathy gave way to action, timidness was replaced by courage and insecurity was driven out by newly inspired self-confidence.
i will always remember my teacher speaking these then prophetic words to catherine's circle (after the first year) from her wheelchair:
"most people will say to you look what you are all doing for catherine - but take a look at everything catherine is doing for you."
in friendship,
prad
Originally posted by pradtfI met a traveler from an antique land, India but some call her an angel, when i was standing like a statue in my own little self satisfied desert. I said i had a good life. She said it could be better and included me in a circle similar to catherine's. It changed my life. I
look at everything catherine is doing for you."
am now mobile and have a reason for living. Great stuff!!
Peace to all
Jumper
Originally posted by jumperisn't amazing how such a simple concept can have such a profound effect. I have a 3year old son who has downs syndrome. He goes to a mainstream nursery. He is the only child there who has a 'special need'. The other children have asked why he can't talk (he signs) and are told he is still learning. To watch how these other 3/4 yr olds encourage, support and reward him is one of the most heartwarming experiences. children naturally develop their own circles of support. Thanks for all who replied,
I met a traveler from an antique land, India but some call her an angel, when i was standing like a statue in my own little self satisfied desert. I said i had a good life. She said it could be better and included me in a circle similar to catherine's. It changed my life. I
am now mobile and have a reason for living. Great stuff!!
Peace to all
Jumper
Joanna ;-)
Originally posted by wucky3Easily the best post of the past year.
isn't amazing how such a simple concept can have such a profound effect. I have a 3year old son who has downs syndrome. He goes to a mainstream nursery. He is the only child there who has a 'special need'. The other children have asked why he can't talk (he signs) and are told he is still learning. To watch how these other 3/4 yr olds encourage, support a ...[text shortened]... hildren naturally develop their own circles of support. Thanks for all who replied,
Joanna ;-)
Thanks for this thread.
After I had been "rejected" by the US army... destroying all of my dreams, I did spend six months in an institution. It had to do with my childhood, but I have spoken of that elsewhere. The Salt Lake County Mental Health inpatient clinic, to be more exact. There i intermingled with all the "abandoned" people. I came to love them.
I am so happy to hear of you, wucky... and the other kind parents family and friends who refuse to give way to abandonment. I have an aunt who doesn't know any of us... including her children. I visit once a week... even if it seems like work.
Please. Don't abandon those in need. Don't forget to visit them.
Thanks. Crying like a child.
Mike
Originally posted by wucky3We hear so often (and know) that children can be cruel, so it's truly heartwarming to hear such a case of natural compassion and acceptance of differences in young children; thanks for sharing that. Makes you think that maybe if that quality was fostered more, and was rewarded, that the sort of bullying that often starts among a little older children would be much rarer. Too bad that children aquire not only the good, but also the intolerance, and fear of anything different from the "grown up" world.
isn't amazing how such a simple concept can have such a profound effect. I have a 3year old son who has downs syndrome. He goes to a mainstream nursery. He is the only child there who has a 'special need'. The other children have asked why he can't talk (he signs) and are told he is still learning. To watch how these other 3/4 yr olds encourage, support a ...[text shortened]... hildren naturally develop their own circles of support. Thanks for all who replied,
Joanna ;-)
I hope your son will continue to encounter more of the good side of this world!
-Jarno
When I was at school, we had one kid in the class that was slightly mentally retarded. He was totally friendly, and was no harm to anyone. The schools so called hard-nuts left him alone and never bothered him, but the treatment he received from the girls was nothing short of appaling. Yeah we all know teenage girls can be highly strung and full of themselves etc, but there was no need what so ever the kind of physical and mental abuse he received from otherwise intellegent people.
My Sister-in-law's boyfriend has a 12 year old sister with a mental age of 4, she attends a special needs school, but her parents are now having to look for another school as she is getting bullied in her current school. What kind of society do we live in, where special needs kids/adults get buillied in facilities designed to help and protect them?
As you can imagine, all other the above was going thro my mind when I was told my week old son had suffered a brain haemorage shortly before or after birth and that he would suffer some form of permanant brain damage, leading to learning/physical difficulties. He is now 9 months old and his progress has been excellent and doctors are now hopefull that the bleeding will just disapate into the brain liquid, thus causing no damage, but its still a case of wait and see!
Due to my work, I regularly travel around London going from site to site, and on occasions have seen Andy (the bullied boy from school) on the train, still in a world of his own, no harm to anyone, but even now (the guy is my age, 30), school girls point at him, shout abuse at him, usual retard kind of crap. When a passenger on the train one day became annoyed at his treatment and stuck up for him, the passenger was greated with a similar chorus of abuse from the group of girls.
There is something seriously wrong with todays society where kids grow up thinking its ok and right to abuse someone who is not mentally/physically full functioning.
this makes me sad. Apparently people with a learning disability are twice as likely to be victims of crime ie bullying, assault, sexual assault, robbery or personal theft. it is estimated that every year there are over 1400 cases of sexual abuse against people with learning disabilities. out of these only 2 (less than 1😵 proceeded to court with only one resulting in conviction.
we live in a very sad sick society but there are tons of good people out there too.
after i had my son i was told by my midwife i needed time to grieve for the child i didn't get+the amount of people who said "i'm sorry" instead of "congratulations" was somewhat hurtful. However i remain positive that one day things will change.
Joanna🙂
Originally posted by wucky3I have a friend. I met him at the Primary Childrens hospital. His parents were killed in an accident. He was adopted by a really good person there.
this makes me sad. Apparently people with a learning disability are twice as likely to be victims of crime ie bullying, assault, sexual assault, robbery or personal theft. it is estimated that every year there are over 1400 cases of sexual abuse against people with learning disabilities. out of these only 2 (less than 1😵 proceeded to court with only one resu ...[text shortened]... ns" was somewhat hurtful. However i remain positive that one day things will change.
Joanna🙂
His name is Bill. He won two races at the Olympics at Park City. Maria Schriver personally pinned his medal.
He is downs syndrome and the most kind... gentle, fun soul I know. May you and yours find that we all eventually come down to kindness.
Mike