There are charities that are doing amazing jobs getting into schools to run mental health awareness sessions but it is not regular enough or even existent in some schools. I struggled hugely growing up in school and struggled with mental health but did not know what was wrong with me until I experienced a mental breakdown at around 15 years old. I have trained with 'Mind' as a youth wellbeing trainer and delivered mental wellbeing sessions in schools and it really is needed permanently.

Other counties such as Nottinghamshire, Devonshire, East Sussex do pay for companion bus passes for carers of disabled people. They get grants for the government to do it. It is a discretionary thing not a mandatory. However, Lack of the findings for other counties is jeopardising people's independence as it is unfair and immoral for carers to having to pay to go on a bus with a disabled person.

Since the introduction of the Care Act, many local authorities are reassessing people's ability to pay for their own care and/or support. My daughter relies on her support worker to help her to live independently. For the last 6 years she has received funding from the Local Authority to pay a support worker to help her cook meals, shop, keep her flat clean, deal with correspondence, go to medical appointments and get out and about. Without any warning or discussion, it stopped on the same day she was visited to 'check' she was receiving the right amount of benefits. A subsequent letter informed her that after the general living allowance was deducted from her benefits, there was enough income left to pay for her own care. The Government 'say' that she needs £x amount to live on then our Local Authority say she can live on less than half the benefit amount. It is very wrong and very soon you will be talking to someone who is affected by these assessments (parents of disabled adults, people with aging parents and/or people who need care). Please support this campaign to force Local Authorities to ignore disability benefits when assessing people's ability to pay for their own care so they can exercise choice and control over their lives.

The forums are made up from elected representatives from the 9 regions in England. These representatives talk to government and other Organisations such as the NHS & CQC to give the opinions and voice of people with a learning disability. Without the forums, the voice of people with a learning disability will be lost. We are worried that when the government stop supporting and listening to people with learning disabilities others may stop too. More people with a learning disability could end up isolated and alone with nowhere to turn. Please sign this petition and show our local MPs how important the voice of people with a learning disability is. We would really like them to speak up for the people in their communities that have #NoVoice. We want MPs to tell government that their local community think people with a learning disability should be included at a local, regional and national level. We think the Department of Health should reconsider funding the vital work of the forums. http://nationalforums.co.uk/

There is currently an estimated £6 billion deficit each year in providing the necessary funding - this means that over 100,000 families are facing financial ruin, adding to the acute misery of seeing their relatives slowly decline. This problem was recognised some 10 years ago, and the Dilnot Commission reported in 2011 with recommendations that were accepted by the Coalition Government in 2013. The Conservative Party, in their 2015 election manifesto, pledged to implement starting in 2016, only for the present Government to renege on its promise within 3 months of taking office. The key points in this commitment were: · A cap on the patient's financial liability for care costs set at £72,000 · The level of assets, below which patients are no longer liable to pay, raised from £23,250 to £118,000 · By 2024, up to 100,000 more to receive financial help with their care costs The BBC Today programme ran a number of features during the week of February 6th, illustrating how the current policy is having drastic effects on families, tearing them apart with heartless bureaucracy. I took part in one of these programmes, describing how I had to pay nearly £400,000 for my late wife's care costs over 8 years, repeatedly refused help by NHS Continuing Healthcare over 5 years. I was only one of tens of thousands trapped in the 'No Man's Land' between the NHS and Social Care funding.

Distances in Harris, unlike Barra, are huge. It is very important, therefore, that people can wait for a bus in some comfort. At this very moment the Western Isles are being buffeted by high winds. Having to travel any distance is uncomfortable, but Stornoway is a long way away from Tarbert. From the West Highland Free Press "Council slammed for removing seats from Tarbert shelter. Elderly residents in Harris have complained over a situation in which they are having to wait for long period for a bus connection to Stornoway - and without proper waiting facilities."

My daughter who has learning difficulties and lives in a Mencap supported house, with my support, cancelled a package she had, despite the fact it was made clear at the time she could not act individually in this sort of situation she was phoned direct and phone/bullied into a new package she did not want causing her extreme distress.

This very important because we need to help our children cope in society, prepare our children for a happy and meaningful life. My daughter is 12 years old, though out her primary school days struggled with going to school, crying a lot, her anxiety levels were through the roof. Only when my daughter was in year 4 the school had noticed my daughter had communication problems I was never told about until year 5. When my daughter was 3 years old I had taken to the GP, she was very violent so our GP referred my daughter over to the community paediatric services I got my local MP involved. After all those years of stress, anxiety, we finally received a outcome, on the 6th Dec 2016 my daughter was finally diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Where there is a caring role, very often the family experience severe financial hardship and this is exacerbated if the carer cannot claim carers allowance. Many carers have to give up work, training or education to look after the person they care for and are unable to claim any money in recognition of their caring role if the person they care for is on ESA and does not qualify for Personal Independence Payment (PIP). An example of this is a 25 year old carer who had to drop out of university 4 years ago when his father died suddenly and his mother had a breakdown. She is unable to look after herself without his help yet he is unable to claim carers allowance as she is on ESA and has been refused PIP and he is unable to work because of his caring responsibilities. Consequently, they suffer extreme poverty and are in debt which has resulted in potential eviction from their home. Another example is a 17 year old who had to move from his father's house to another county to care for his mother who suffers extreme anxiety which means she is unable to leave the house on her own, answer the phone or the front door so relies heavily on her son. As he is only 17 and unable to work or engage in training or eduaction due to his caring role the family are unable to claim child benefit for him or carers allowance as the mother is on ESA and has been refused PIP. There are many more such examples and I feel strongly this needs to change so that those who suffer some of the wprst financial hardship are not made to suffer further.

Currently, in the UK everyone has to pass their maths and English language GCSE, regardless of any disabilities that may prevent them from doing so. Since 2013, all 16 to 18-year-old students who do not already have a grade C in English or maths have to continue studying the subjects. Ofsted chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw has said: “Inspection evidence shows that, for some students, having to retake their GCSE can be demotivating and that attendance at these lessons is lower.” My mother works in the field of special education and says it is upsetting and unfair to those with learning difficulties who just can't pass. It is obvious that some people are more able than others, and judging everyone by the same standards is unfair and wrong. I know of a 19-year-old resitting his GCSE maths and English for the fourth time this summer, and planning to continue trying for another two years. He is perfectly eloquent, has a job, and plans to join the army. The only thing holding him back is his dyslexia and dyscalculia (number and letter blindness) that means he can't read the test papers and is stopping him continuing with his life. We plan to ask the government to allow people with a diagnosed learning difficulty to stop repeating their GCSE Mathematics and English after they have completed full-time education (at 18) if they and a specialist learning support member both agree they do not wish to continue. The government should then be more flexible with other qualifications and job prospects.

Various governments have had no adequate policy for caring for the elderly in England and Wales, leading to dreadful suffering, as well as strain on the NHS. Its a moral imperative to change this and bring in the Scottish system that provides non- means tested home care for the elderly. That way, they are safer at home and not bed blocking the N.H.S. ( Community Care & Health ( Scotland) Act 2002.) The Government says there is no money to pay for the Scottish system of elderly care in England and Wales. That's because successive governments chose to collude with the corporate elite, rather than care for us. This also causes too much tax burden paid through P.A.Y.E., which should reduce if the elite loop holes that lose the welfare state budget billions of pounds were closed. A proper policy to enforce tax collection from British offshore territories, including political support and resources to bring vigorous tax collection cases, would raise billions of pounds for home care and convalescent homes for the elderly as well as fund other public services.

Public services are being cut back to the bone due to the political choice of austerity, playgrounds and sports facilities are being closed, the NHS is under attack, community groups, the disabled and vulnerable face all sorts of challenges from closures and budget cuts – this decision is an utter disgrace.