大象传媒

听

18th June 2024

bbc.co.uk/accessall

Access All 鈥� episode 110

Presented by Emma Tracey

听

听

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 We are back by popular demand with another panel of experts here to answer your General Election questions. On with the show.

MUSIC-听听听听听听听听听听 Theme music.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Hello, and welcome to Access All, the 大象传媒鈥檚 weekly podcast where we delve into stories about disability and mental health. I鈥檓 Emma Tracey, and this time we are back with another panel of experts to talk about the things you said you want to know on the runup to the General Election. We had so many messages from you, the listeners, that we haven鈥檛 even touched the sides with our first panel, so we鈥檙e back again. But do keep your messages coming. You can email accessall@bbc.co.uk, and you can find us on the socials @大象传媒AccessAll.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 We鈥檝e chosen our topics for today based on the numbers of messages that we鈥檝e had about each one. So, today we鈥檙e going to talk about mental health, disabled children and young people and their families, the COVID-19 pandemic and the fallout from that, and also housing. I would like to introduce my esteemed panel of experts, here to talk about each of those topics. We鈥檝e got Fazilet Hadi, you鈥檙e back again, you were here last time. But remind people who you are and where you come from in terms of disability and these topics.

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 Thank you Emma, and it鈥檚 very good to be back with you all. I鈥檓 head of policy at Disability Rights UK, and we鈥檝e been campaigning with other disability organisations for something called the Disabled People鈥檚 Manifesto.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Okay, brilliant. Lovely to have you back. Sam Carlisle, you help the Disabled Children鈥檚 Partnership. Which is?

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The Disabled Children鈥檚 Partnership is a policy campaign group of 120 charities and children鈥檚 organisations that fights for change for disabled children.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And you鈥檝e also got a disabled daughter yourself, and you鈥檙e a journalist.

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yes, so I鈥檝e got a daughter, Elvi, who鈥檚 now 22. So, we鈥檝e lived every minute of this.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And Nil Guzelgun 鈥� best name I think in the podcast for a very long time 鈥� you鈥檙e the head of policy and campaigns for Mind mental health charity. What does that mean? What鈥檚 your job?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 We work both with people with mental health problems and on behalf of them to campaign on issues that affect people with mental health problems, and take a really holistic approach to doing that, looking at both mental health services and improving support to access mental health services, but also welfare, employment support and also support for young people and marginalised communities.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Okay. We鈥檙e actually going to start with mental health. And someone on X, formerly known as Twitter, said that there has been almost a complete halt to mental health provision. Now, waiting times for mental health services have shot up according to the Health Service Journal; 8% of people are waiting more than 49 weeks to see a specialist, so that鈥檚 nearly a year. And if that trend continues that could be the longest wait for any specialist that people will have. That鈥檚 pretty strong stuff. Nil, which services are most overstretched would you say in terms of mental health?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I think we see a pressure on mental health services across the board. And we know that both adults and young people, but particularly young people, are struggling to access support. I mean, if I take the numbers for children and young people we know that since 2017 where the numbers were one in nine young people had a mental health problem, and now we have one in five young people and children who have a mental health problem but can鈥檛 get support. So, the numbers have increased drastically since 2017 and throughout the pandemic as well, and yet access has become more difficult for people for example.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 So, it was one in nine and now it鈥檚 one in five?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 That鈥檚 correct, yes.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Right. And why are children鈥檚 mental health services particularly overstretched? Are they more overstretched than most?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I mean, it鈥檚 a mix of two factors: one is a lack of investment and funding in mental health services, and particularly for young people, but also the numbers of young people who have mental health problems has increased. So, I think the demand has increased, more young people and children acknowledge, and there鈥檚 a higher level of awareness, which is a beneficial or benign factor. But also there is not just the level of support provided and the level of investment provided to address that level of demand.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 So, more and more young people are experiencing mental health problems, but also there鈥檚 more awareness as well. What are the parties saying in their manifestos that they鈥檙e going to about this?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Overall the main political parties do commit to bringing in parity of esteem between mental health and physical health for example. In terms of the detail I think the key thing that we have been seeing is a support across schools for example so that there would be more mental health support provided across schools to give that early access when problems arise. And similarly we鈥檝e also seen a commitment to fund early support hubs for young people. So, early support hubs provide access to mental health support in a setting which is outside of a kind of NHS service or a formal setting. And there are also other things like employment support or a youth club and it鈥檚 much more accessible for a lot of young people.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Let鈥檚 not forget, you鈥檙e talking about mental health across the board, we鈥檙e focusing on children and families, but older people are struggling too.

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Absolutely. We know that adults are struggling to access mental health services too, and there is a commitment across the main political parties鈥� manifestos to reduce waiting times and to increase investment and address some of that gap.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Fazilet, you鈥檝e noticed an interesting policy from the Liberal Democrats in terms of mental health and schools, haven鈥檛 you?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 They鈥檙e wanting to put a mental health professional in every school. It was interesting to see all the parties, as Nil was saying, pick up mental health. Having said that, my sort of general view is that disabled people and people with mental health aren鈥檛 really seen by the two main political parties, Labour and the Conservatives; the promises are quite vague. Interestingly the two, Lib Dems and the Greens, have much more progressive policies in general that would help all disabled people, including those with mental health issues. I think when I was on your podcast last time I was saying I felt disabled people, the 16 million of us are quite invisible; so we鈥檙e not invisible anymore. We are part of the political discourse, particularly in the Green party and the Lib Dem manifesto, nothing鈥檚 perfect obviously, Emma, but I really did feel they鈥檇 got to grips with something. So, when the Greens say they鈥檙e going to invest 20 billion in social care I thought yeah, that鈥檚 serious, they understand the scale of the issue. When the Lib Dems say they鈥檙e going to bring in free personal care, end institutionalisation, improve rights and incomes for carers, both paid carers and unpaid carers, you know, these are real hard-edged commitments. I know neither of those two parties are going to be the next government, but it still means that those issues are on the table and we should still carry on fighting for them as disabled people. But I think the main parties, Labour and Conservative, are still quite lightweight in terms of what they鈥檙e promising.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Because of course the last conversation we had was before the manifestos came out. And I鈥檇 like to think that some of our chat about the General Election and about disabled people might have got into their heads a little bit, Fazilet.

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 That would be a lovely thought!

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 It would. Now, Nil mentioned earlier the Mental Health Bill. As far as I can tell the mental health charities and people around mental health are kind of baffled that that hasn鈥檛 been enacted yet. Have you been looking at that as well in Disability Rights UK, Fazilet? Do you think the next government will enact it quickly?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 It looks like it. Most of the parties are saying they will enact it. Disability Rights UK and disabled people鈥檚 organisations aren鈥檛 as committed to it probably as Nil is. I think that鈥檚 because we still feel it doesn鈥檛 go far enough in, if you like, pushing on community provision and almost making sectioning, forced detention the exception.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Nil, what do you think, does it go far enough? I mean, it鈥檚 supposed to tackle some of the racial disparities, which are quite prominent really, they鈥檙e quite obvious, aren鈥檛 they?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I totally agree with Fazilet that there are aspects that can definitely be improved. But I think our position at Mind is that we would rather see the current proposed bill being passed, and then through secondary legislation or additional measures it can then be improved.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 But why do you want it enacted quickly? What would you hope that it would immediately help with?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Once some of the issues that were raised around detention and people having better rights I think it would make a huge impact in that sense. We know that for black people it could have an impact because currently the racial disparity means that they are disproportionately affected and detained.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Now, let鈥檚 talk about SEND, special educational needs and disabilities, which has been in the news a lot lately. We鈥檝e just seen a news story on the 大象传媒 where there鈥檚 a one billion shortfall of funding for SEND in England at the moment. And we鈥檝e had two 大象传媒 investigations recently about individual special schools: one in the Wirral, an undercover investigation where children were physically very badly treated, and another one in East London, where there was a lot of problems around seclusion in padded rooms etc. But we鈥檝e also had a lot of chat about it when we asked people what they wanted us to talk about in the runup to the General Election. Here鈥檚 a voice note:

GRAHAM-听听听听听 Hello, my name鈥檚 Graham and I鈥檓 a primary school teacher from Southend-on-Sea. And what I鈥檇 like to know is what the parties propose to do to increase the support available to children who have got special educational needs and also their families as well, because at the moment the system isn鈥檛 working for anyone. Thank you.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And Janice said that extra funding would reduce costly suspensions and exclusions. And she鈥檚 also looking for more funding for training for teachers who want to work in specialist provision.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Sam Carlisle, unpack that [laughs]. There鈥檚 a lot going on there, isn鈥檛 there?

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Where do we start? Disabled children, neurodivergent children are not prioritised. There鈥檚 not enough money in the system. The system is completely broken. The SEND review that the government did themselves admitted that. You鈥檝e got areas of education, health and social care that are all failing young people. And all of that feeds into a picture of just letting children down. It鈥檚 just been shocking. It鈥檚 the government鈥檚 duty to provide an education to children and to make them feel safe, and at the moment we鈥檙e just not doing that.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And are there any policies that you鈥檝e seen in the manifestos? What parties are going to do something about this?

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 So, the policy that obviously hits home with families is the Lib Dem policy 鈥� and this isn鈥檛 my personal view 鈥� talking about establishing a national body for special educational needs and disabilities, to provide support for children with high needs, increasing funding to local authorities for SEND, because that鈥檚 what it all comes down to. I was really disappointed with the main parties; I just thought we鈥檇 got to a point where everyone was talking about SEND, there have been so many stories about SEND, and we just thought okay, now this is the chance to lay out your proposals. And the two main parties have been a bit, as Fazilet said, vague. There鈥檚 nothing really powerful there. The Conservatives have sort of said things that they鈥檝e already committed to, so we will transform education for children with special educational needs by ending the postcode lottery of support, by delivering 60,000 more school places. That鈥檚 pretty much what their SEND improvement plan said, and they haven鈥檛 done it yet, they鈥檙e behind on that. They could be much more radical I think in their offer.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And Fazilet, what do you think about that?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 Well, I think certainly they鈥檙e not tackling the 3 billion shortfall in the special educational needs budget, never mind special school places, which is the focus. There is obviously a very live debate about special schools and whether disabled children should be segregated. Whatever you believe the mainstream sector has to be more inclusive because that is where the majority of disabled children are. And I agree with Sam that the political parties, the main ones are very weak on this. There are slightly more warmer words in Labour about doing more with local government and trying to improve the SEND system etc, etc. But because the Labour party is so unwilling to talk about pound notes that鈥檚 all just very kind of motherhood and apple pie at the moment. They鈥檙e not saying they鈥檒l invest 3 billion per year in SEND to make sure that disabled children across whatever schools they choose to go to get the best education.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Nil, what about mental health provision for children outside of school? We鈥檝e talked a lot about school provision there, but what about the young people who end up in wards that are for adults and the repercussions of that?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yeah, we know that it is really difficult for children and young people who end up in a mental health crisis and therefore in a mental health hospital. And what we know is that they are sometimes actually sent into a mental health hospital which is not where they live, very far from where they live, which obviously isn鈥檛 ideal at all and isn鈥檛 acceptable actually at all. And they are then also in a ward with adults, and we know that a lot of young people find this experience traumatising. And oftentimes actually when they leave hospital they are then being promised to get a certain level of support and type of support which doesn鈥檛 materialise.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Anything in the manifestos about dealing with this issue?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The only promise that we did find is that there would be, in a very vague sense as Fazilet and Sam have also highlighted in their responses, that there would be a commitment to bring forward the Mental Health Act. But the detail obviously we need to look at that and see what that actually means for adults and children.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Before we finish on this topic around disabled children and young people, I do want to play you a message by Hugh Malyon who is an artist. And it鈥檚 about the Conservative鈥檚 promise to bring in national service:

HUGH-听听听听听听听听听听听 I鈥檝e not seen anything about young carers not being listened to, being forced to do national service.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Hugh goes on to say there about what about family members who are young carers and who might be gone for a weekend, a month, when the resilience of the family is quite low and when they don鈥檛 already have enough support because of cuts to budgets around social work and other areas that might have helped the family. I mean, Sam, what do you think about that?

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yeah, we know the pressure on young carers, it鈥檚 a huge issue. I mean, you don鈥檛 want to be relying on brothers and sisters helping out, and they should be able to go on school trips and they should be able to live their lives without feeling that they have to support their brothers and sisters or parents if they鈥檙e disabled. So, it will be another area, if this were ever to come true, it would be another area where thought hasn鈥檛 been put into what that means for families. But I think actually it鈥檚 unlikely to happen. It feels like it鈥檚 written on the back of a cigarette packet that one.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Fazilet, I was so pleased to receive that message from Hugh. I really love our listeners, because that鈥檚 a disabled person worrying about this stuff. What did you think of that?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 Good for Hugh for raising it. I doubt the government, when Rishi Sunak announced it, I don鈥檛 think they had a disabled person in mind, someone experiencing mental health challenges, a young carer. I don鈥檛 know who their kind of image of a young person is but it wasn鈥檛 any of those people. And so it was very much without thought and it wasn鈥檛 an inclusive proposal. It wasn鈥檛 based on what young people were telling them they wanted. It was just like a rabbit picked out of a听 hat kind of thing. So, yeah, I too hope that gets consigned to the dustbin of history.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And for disabled people as well, what about disabled people and national service?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 Yeah.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Will you have an assessment to see if you can do a national services? I mean, that鈥檚 me being a bit facetious, but.

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 Well, exactly. They just didn鈥檛 think that through.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Now, one of the topics that we got more messages about than any other really was the COVID-19 pandemic. Many disabled people say that it鈥檚 a pandemic that鈥檚 ongoing for them but they鈥檝e been forgotten. Here鈥檚 a voice message from Steph Anderson:

STEPH-听听听听听听听听听听 Many thousands of people who are clinically vulnerable and/or immunocompromised are in their fifth year of lockdown. This is most definitely a disability access issue that needs to be pursued during the election campaign.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Fazilet, that鈥檚 interesting, isn鈥檛 it? I mean, there are still people wearing masks. I interviewed Liz Carr recently, the actor, and she said that this very room that we鈥檙e in right now is the first situation she鈥檇 been in in a long time without a mask. But how many people are shielding still and minding themselves against COVID?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 There was a report in parliament last year, about November, that put the figure at 800,000, which is quite a lot of people.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 That鈥檚 a lot, yeah.

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 And 800,000 people are really still very worried. It was called Forgotten Lives, which echoes what the woman says really. Many of those people didn鈥檛 have the vaccinations because their bodies wouldn鈥檛 allow the vaccination. I think also now many of them are worried that if they do get COVID they can鈥檛 get easy, quick access to the antiviral treatments. So, I think the woman is right that the health service, if you like, isn鈥檛 in a position anymore, it seems to me, to react quickly. And that builds the fear because then you think oh my goodness, if I do get exposed I鈥檓 on my own and it could end in death.

听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I think the other thing about COVID is that the last figure I saw was that 1.9 million people were living with some after effects of long-COVID. Some of that figure, like 300,000 or 400,000 very, very serious long-COVID, almost like chronic fatigue syndrome. And so those people, if you like, have been added to the disabled community now, but actually find themselves in a position like a lot of disabled people without easy access to health services, without good access to social care, without reasonable adjustments in employment. I don鈥檛 think anyone鈥檚 mentioned COVID in this election. The COVID inquiry, public inquiry is still going on, and it will actually look at health services this autumn, and so that may be another opportunity to put some of the issues being mentioned on the political agenda of the new government.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Nil, what are the lasting impacts, from your perspective, on mental health of the pandemic?

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 We know that there has been a drastic increase of people who are trying to access mental health support. As I mentioned earlier, there are more children and young people who have mental health problems, similarly with adults the waiting times have reached nearly 2 million to access any mental health support.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 And do you think that鈥檚 lot down to COVID? Well, obviously the waiting lists got longer when services weren鈥檛 available during, but also the pandemic and the effect on people鈥檚 mental health.

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Absolutely. And we can鈥檛 bring it all back to the COVID-19 pandemic because some increases we had seen before the pandemic, particularly amongst young people in terms of the mental health prevalence. But certainly the pandemic has just catapulted the numbers and increased the numbers drastically and made it a bit more difficult for people who were maybe coping, and then obviously it tipped them off to maybe struggle a bit more. And the cost of living crisis etc made it even worse.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Sam, what lasting effect has the pandemic had on disabled children and families?

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 The things that were taken away, so things like respite centres closed during COVID, and a number of those didn鈥檛 come back. So, care workers left the system during COVID, a number of those didn鈥檛 come back. So, families felt isolated, support was withdrawn, hospitals were struggling to catch up. We鈥檝e seen the numbers of teachers have reduced since COVID I think because of the pressure at the time and increasing pressure. We鈥檝e talked about mental health services. So, nothing has returned to what was a pretty low base rate before COVID.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Okay.

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 If I may just add on that, because I think what we saw during the pandemic, and this is what is so frustrating being in this situation where we are in a General Election and looking forward to what the next government should be doing, I think during the pandemic actually a lot of things that a lot of charities had been campaigning on for a long time had been slowly implemented such as, for example, better sick pay provision to enable people who might have COVID so that they can stay at home for example and do not need to go to work, they were given a better sick pay provision. But similarly with the increase, the uplift of benefits, which we know are inadequate for a lot of people who receive benefits. And that really focused attention on our healthcare system, not just mental health care system, but the wider healthcare system. And all of that was then, after 2021, 2022 slowly eroded and we have come back to a state of healthcare, all public services, as if there was never a pandemic.

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 What鈥檚 terrifying is if that happens again I can鈥檛 see, you know, if we have another pandemic what would they do differently and what is in place? And I know that鈥檚 what the COVID inquiry is for, but there鈥檚 nothing in the manifestos about that.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Another thing that the manifestos haven鈥檛 covered massively but something that we've had a lot of messages about is housing and the shortage of adapted housing for wheelchair users and other disabled people. Fazilet, Disability Rights UK have been doing some work around rentals, and one in three disabled people are living in unsuitable rental accommodation. Is that right?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 The figures are pretty shocking on housing. I think it鈥檚 something like only 7% of the UK housing stock is accessible and there鈥檚 no actual way to find where that 7% is of them.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Yes, exactly. So, the housing doesn鈥檛 actually match up with the people, so there could be lots of people in accessible houses that don鈥檛 need it and vice versa.

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 And then you raise the affordability issue, we鈥檝e seen rents spiral. Housing I think is becoming more and more of an issue to everyone in the community, but disabled people will have additional challenges. So, we see the big parties saying 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to build, you know, 300,000 homes a year鈥� or they鈥檙e going to build even more than that. Actually that target has not been met during the course of this government, but anyway it鈥檚 in the manifesto that Labour will build 1.5 million homes over the course of the next parliament, and the Conservatives 1.6. I think Labour they鈥檙e giving us the warm words about 鈥渨e鈥檒l work with local government and make sure that a proportion of housing is affordable social housing,鈥� but they don鈥檛 commit to figures. I think the Lib Dems do commit to a figure; they say that out of 380,000 homes per year they鈥檇 like 150,000 to be social housing. There鈥檚 also some proposals on upgrading the energy efficiency of homes that you鈥檇 expect from the Greens. And I think the Lib Dems also has that, but also a social tariff for energy, which we鈥檝e not seen this government introduce although it did promise it.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 So, there鈥檚 plenty about housing, Fazilet, but not much about specifically adapted homes?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 No. There鈥檚 nothing about 10% of new homes should be wheelchair accessible or 100% should be accessible; that was something the Conservatives promised in July 2022 but they鈥檝e just not implemented. Nothing about personal emergency evacuation plans for disabled people, although we鈥檙e seven years now from the Grenfell Tower fire, we do have a building safety regulator so there is some hope for maybe people in high rise buildings. It is worth them contacting the regulator if they鈥檙e worried about not having a personal emergency plan.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Sam, I want to talk to you about housing for families with disabled children and young people. But first here鈥檚 a message that we got about housing:

FEMALE-听听听听听听听 I鈥檓 a 33 year-old wheelchair user who was, up until recently, homeless for 18 months due to housing shortages. The provision for adapted housing is below the bare minimum, with priority for ground floor accommodation, the majority is reserved for over 55s. In my area there is a caveat to these age rated properties of being disabled and over 45.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Sam, have you noticed a big issue for families? I mean, I have, I鈥檝e seen loads of stories. We had someone on last year where there were seven people living in a one-bedroomed flat because they were waiting on a house to be ready.

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Yeah, I think Contact, one of our member organisations, have a lot of calls about this. And if you can鈥檛 make your home accessible or have support then you don鈥檛 have great expectations for outside of your home. There鈥檚 a big issue around 鈥� I mean, certainly personally I鈥檓 going to talk about this 鈥� because looking for where Elvi will go and live after college I鈥檓 so shocked, I shouldn鈥檛 be [laughs] but I鈥檓 so shocked by the lack of provision for young people coming out of college. Where are they going to live? Where is their wheelchair accessible places that they can go to that鈥檚 got room for carers, where they can access the things they want to access? I mean, I鈥檓 absolutely terrified of what鈥檚 going to happen with Elvi when she leaves college. As I said, she doesn鈥檛 sleep, so if she comes back to us that means me being awake 24 hours essentially. It鈥檚 really depressing going out. Our local authority told me they didn鈥檛 have any wheelchair accessible places or housing for her, they didn鈥檛 have any, which I just couldn鈥檛 believe [laughs], it seemed extraordinary.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Yeah. We鈥檝e run out of time big time. Now that the manifestos are out, all three of you, what鈥檚 the most positive thing you鈥檝e seen for disabled people in those? Let鈥檚 start with you, Nil.

NIL-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 Goodness me. I think it is positive that firstly all major political parties acknowledge that mental health needs to be addressed, and they commit to creating parity of esteem between mental health and physical health. It is also positive to see that they are committing to introducing the Mental Health Act. But when you look into the detail as to what level of support they commit to it seems like it鈥檚 nowhere near enough.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Fazilet?

FAZILET-听听听听听听听 I think the most positive things I鈥檝e seen are in the party manifestos of the parties that aren鈥檛 going to get into power [laughter], the Lib Dems and the Greens. I do applaud them on being bold on personal care. And I do applaud the Greens on saying that social care needs 20 billion extra per year. And I hope that kind of more radical approach will seep into the next government.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Thank you. And Sam?

SAM-听听听听听听听听听听听听听听 I agree with Fazilet, the Lib Dems going to that place where they鈥檙e talking about Ed Davy鈥檚 personal experience is really important. I think the Greens also talking about transport for children to school was something that we weren鈥檛 expecting but is something again that Contact have campaigned on. But I really want to see the two main parties take this really seriously, commit funding. If the political will is there then there is no reason why they can鈥檛 commit to funding on education, health, social care for young people.

EMMA-听听听听听听听听听听 Fazilet, Sam and Nil thank you for joining me. Thanks to my guests, Nil Guzelgun from Mind mental health charity, Fazilet Hadi from Disability Rights UK, and Sam Carlisle from the Disabled Children鈥檚 Partnership. Between now and the General Election we are going to do our best to interview someone from all of the seven main political parties about their disability policies. So, keep your questions coming on email accessall@bbc.co.uk. You can send us a WhatsApp, a voice message or text message to 0330 123 9480, put the word 鈥淎ccess鈥� before your message so that we can find it more easily. You can find us on the socials @大象传媒AccessAll. And do look out for our special series of political interviews starting next week. Thanks for listening. Bye bye.

[Trailer for Reliable Sauce]

KIRSTY-听听听听听听听听 Reliable Sauce is all about the stories on social media right now that we love.

JONELLE-听听听听听听 Stories that literally everyone is talking about.

FEMALE-听听听听听听听 Obviously you are a Jenny. How do you feel about people referring to the General Election as the Genny Lec?

JONELLE-听听听听听听 Yeah, I鈥檓 really happy with that. 听

BOTH-听听听听听听听听听听听听 Hey, hey, hey!

KIRSTY-听听听听听听听听 I鈥檓 Kirsty.

JONELLE-听听听听听听 And I鈥檓 Jonelle. We鈥檙e journalists in Europe鈥檚 biggest newsroom working on the 大象传媒 News TikTok account.

KIRSTY-听听听听听听听听 Covering the General Election.

JONELLE-听听听听听听 And we鈥檙e here every week to give the news more flavour. 听

KIRSTY-听听听听听听听听 With the perfect amount of sauce. 听

FEMALE-听听听听听听听 I didn鈥檛 know that was a thing.

JONELLE-听听听听听听 Yes, the Genny Lec. Reliable Sauce, listen on 大象传媒 Sounds

KIRSTY-听听听听听听听听 Wow, you sound like an advert lady [laughter].

听

听

听

听