People with learning disabilities spoke to three Lords about the importance of having their voices heard.
Members of Safety Net People, a group set up by Hammersmith and Fulham Mencap to support members to speak up, welcomed Baroness Barker, Lord Hardie and Lord Faulkes at Hammersmith Town Hall last month.
The members of the House of Lords found out what it is like for people with learning disabilities to make decisions and what support they were given.
The Mental Capacity Act ensures that people have choice and control over their lives and provides safeguarding measures if a person is not able to make a particular decision.
But it is often assumed that people with a learning disability cannot make their own decisions and Mencap encourages its members to speak for themselves.
Mencap member Miqui Joseph said: “I really enjoyed meeting the people from the House of Lords. They understood about choice and control and people making their own decisions.”
Kate Buchan, a self advocacy and campaigns project worker at Mencap who organised the event, said: “People with learning disabilities are the experts when it comes to what they want and that was made very clear to the Lords. I’m really pleased we were listened to.”
