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´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 In Touch |
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Listen to this programmeFactsheet of this programmeTranscript of this programme Print this page FactsheetIn TouchRadio 4 Tuesday, 10 February 2009 20:40 – 21:00 0800 044 044 PROGRAMME ADDRESS.. 1 FACTSHEET. 1 LOCAL AUTHORITY EDUCATION.. 2 DEAFBLIND.. 3 SIR JOHN HALL SERVICE.. 4 ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPLAYER.. 4 TWITTER.. 4 CATH BURCHILL. 5 GENERAL CONTACTS.. 5 PROGRAMME ADDRESS IN TOUCH ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 4 Room 6084 Broadcasting House London W1A 1AA Email: intouch@bbc.co.uk Web: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/intouch.shtml FACTSHEET Please take the caller’s name and address and ask whether they require the factsheet in normal print, large print or Braille and enter details in Q. *** DATA PROTECTION*** If taking a request for a Braille factsheet/transcript please explain details will be forwarded to the RNIB for dispatch, and confirm caller is happy with this. LOCAL AUTHORITY EDUCATION Contributors: John and Carol Pratt Gill Jennison, Henshaws In Touch discuss whether local authorities provide appropriate education for young visually impaired adults with additional disabilities? The programme spoke to John Pratt aged nineteen, who currently lives at home in Carluke in Scotland with his family. He is visually impaired, has cerebral palsy and mild learning disabilities. He wants to develop his independence skills, so that he can care for himself, without relying on anyone else for help. But both he and his mother feel that to get the help he needs in terms of rehabilitation and education, he needs to go to a specialist college. There are none in Scotland so they decided on Henshaws in England, where he could receive a three-year course, with expert tuition in both daily living skills and Braille. The course costs over two hundred thousand pounds but his local authority (South Lanarkshire Council) is unwilling to pay, because they say they can offer him what he needs within the authority. CONTACTS HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE (HSBP) John Derby House 88-92 Talbot Road Old Trafford Manchester M16 0GS Tel: 0161 872 1234 Email: info@hsbp.co.uk Web: www.henshaws.org.uk Henshaws provides a wide range of services for people who have sight difficulties. They aim to enable visually impaired people of all ages to maximise their independence and enjoy a high quality of life. They have centres in: Harrogate, Knaresborough, Liverpool, Llandudno, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Southport and Trafford. RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: www.rnib.org.uk The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns. DEAFBLIND Contributor: Sue Brown, Head of Campaigns, Sense The National Registers of Communication Professionals Working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) has launched a free internet database containing contact details of 800 registered professional communicators from across the UK. The organisation says the database will make it quicker and easier for public services and businesses to find qualified professional communicators like sign language interpreters and note takers. CONTACTS NRCPD www.nrcpd.org.uk SENSE 101 Pentonville Road London N1 9LG Tel: 0845 127 0060 Text: 0845 127 0062 www.sense.org.uk Sense is the UK's largest organisation for children and adults who are deafblind or have associated disabilities. SIR JOHN HALL SERVICE A service of thanks-giving will be held in memory of Sir John Wall, Britain's first modern-day blind judge, who died last month. The service is open to all who knew him and it will be held at 2pm on Thursday 26th February, at: St Clement Danes Strand, London WC2R 1DH ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPLAYER Contributor: Wilf White, ´óÏó´«Ã½â€™s Head of External Policy Mani reported on news that the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Iplayer service is possibly on the verge of adding audio description to its website. More to follow in March. CONTACT ´óÏó´«Ã½ iPLAYER www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/ The American Federation for the Blind has just joined the social networking sight, Twitter, long after the RNIB made its presence felt there. Twitter allows friends, family and colleagues to stay in touch by exchanging frequent updates about their lives. CONTACTS http://twitter.com/ CATH BURCHILL Update on Cath’s trip of a lifetime - going round the world riding pillion on a motorbike with her partner Bernard. GENERAL CONTACTS RNIB 105 Judd Street London WC1H 9NE Helpline: 0303 123 9999 (Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm) Tel: 0207 388 1266 (switchboard/overseas callers) Web: www.rnib.org.uk The RNIB provides information, support and advice for anyone with a serious sight problem. They not only provide Braille, Talking Books and computer training, but imaginative and practical solutions to everyday challenges. The RNIB campaigns to change society's attitudes, actions and assumptions, so that people with sight problems can enjoy the same rights, freedoms and responsibilities as fully sighted people. They also fund pioneering research into preventing and treating eye disease and promote eye health by running public health awareness campaigns. HENSHAWS SOCIETY FOR BLIND PEOPLE (HSBP) John Derby House 88-92 Talbot Road Old Trafford Manchester M16 0GS Tel: 0161 872 1234 Email: info@hsbp.co.uk Web: Henshaws provides a wide range of services for people who have sight difficulties. They aim to enable visually impaired people of all ages to maximise their independence and enjoy a high quality of life. They have centres in: Harrogate, Knaresborough, Liverpool, Llandudno, Manchester, Newcastle upon Tyne, Salford, Southport and Trafford. THE GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND ASSOCIATION (GDBA) Burghfield Common Reading RG7 3YG Tel: 0118 983 5555 Email: guidedogs@guidedogs.org.uk Web: www.guidedogs.org.uk The GDBA’s mission is to provide guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that meet the needs of blind and partially sighted people. ACTION FOR BLIND PEOPLE 14-16 Verney Road London SE16 3DZ Tel: 0800 915 4666 (info & advice) Tel: 020 7635 4800 (central office) Web: www.afbp.org Registered charity with national cover that provides practical support in the areas of housing, holidays, information, employment and training, cash grants and welfare rights for blind and partially-sighted people. Leaflets and booklets are available. NATIONAL LEAGUE OF THE BLIND AND DISABLED Central Office Swinton House 324 Grays Inn Road London WC1X 8DD Tel: 020 7837 6103 Textphone: 020 7837 6103 National League of the Blind and Disabled is a registered trade union and is involved in all issues regarding the employment of blind and disabled people in the UK. NATIONAL LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND (NLB) Tel: 0161 406 2525 Textphone: 0161 355 2043 Email: enquiries@nlbuk.org Web: www.nlb-online.org Trustees from the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and the National Library for the Blind (NLB) have agreed to merge the library services of both charities as of 1 January 2007, creating the new RNIB National Library Service. EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (England) Freepost RRLL-GHUX-CTRX Arndale House Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3EQ 0845 604 6610 - England main number 0845 604 6620 - England textphone 0845 604 6630 - England fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (Wales) Freepost RRLR-UEYB-UYZL 3rd Floor 3 Callaghan Square Cardiff CF10 5BT 0845 604 8810 - Wales main number 0845 604 8820 - Wales textphone 0845 604 8830 - Wales fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) EQUALITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION HELPLINE (Scotland) Freepost RRLL-GYLB-UJTA The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DU 0845 604 5510 - Scotland Main 0845 604 5520 - Scotland Textphone 0845 604 5530 - Scotland – Fax Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9:00 am-5:00 pm; Wed 9:00 am-8:00 pm (last call taken at 7:45pm) DISABLED LIVING FOUNDATION 380-384 Harrow Road London W9 2HU Tel: 0845 130 9177 Web: www.dlf.org.uk The Disabled Living Foundation provides information and advice on disability equipment. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is not responsible for external websites General contacts Back to top TranscriptIN TOUCHTX: 10.02.09 2040-2100 PRESENTER: PETER WHITE PRODUCER: JOE KENT White Good Evening. Can local authorities provide appropriate education for young visually impaired adults with additional disabilities? We'll be hearing the case of one young Scot who feels he needs to come to England for what he requires. And someone who's left England for what she needs - we catch up with Cath Burchill, currently going round the world on a motorbike. And Mani Djazmi, will also be here with his regular news roundup. But first John Pratt is 19, and currently living at home in Carluke in Scotland with his family. He is visually impaired, he has cerebral palsy and mild learning disabilities. What he wants is to develop his independence skills, so that he can care for himself, without relying on anyone else for help. But both he and his mother feel that to get the help he needs in terms of rehabilitation and education, he needs to go to a specialist college. There are none in Scotland so they've turned to Henshaws College in Harrogate. There he could receive a three-year course, with expert tuition in both daily living skills and Braille. But the course costs a total of over £200,000 and his local authority is unwilling to pay. They say his needs can be better met locally. Well I've been talking to both John, and his mother Carol Pratt, I began by asking John why he felt he needed to travel to England to get what he required. John Pratt Basically I need to be - to learn things for myself, like be more independent and things. White What kinds of things? John Pratt Like I can't tie my shoelaces yet, I need to learn to do that. I need to learn to do more cooking in the kitchen as well, like cook meals and stuff. White You've been down to look at Henshaws, what was it about it that you liked because initially you weren't quite sure that you did want to go were you? John Pratt No because I thought it would be a bit too far away you see. White What's changed your mind? John Pratt That's the only college that can do Braille, which is a disappointment. White And you want to what - be able to read faster, do better? John Pratt I want to do a bit better yes. White And you don't think you can do that unless you go to Henshaws in Harrogate? John Pratt Yes, it's a shame there's nothing in Scotland that can teach me Braille. It's a disappointment for me. White Let me bring in your mum, Carol. Can you just explain what is it that's so important that you think that he can't get on his doorstep? Carol Pratt I just feel the qualities here, they don't have the expertise, as somebody who's got a visual impairment with complex needs and there are other difficulties there. They've come on in leaps and bounds in the past few years but just not to the level that John needs yet. Most skills he can learn, I mean he's at the peak of the age for learning and the more skills he can learn just now the much better quality of life he's going to have in the future, we don't always want John to be independent on other people. He needs to learn to shop for himself but he has to be able to tie his shoes and zip his jacket before he can go out and shop for himself. White Now you've approach South Lanarkshire, of course, what have they said to you? Carol Pratt Well they've said funding isn't the issue, you know it doesn't come down to money, the decision is based on what would be best for John. And it just makes the whole thing more confusing. Everybody that knows John, including some of their staff, think that this would be the best way forward for John. White South Lanarkshire say they will be offering an integrated service for John and also that they can offer the kind of things that he needs and it makes more sense for someone like John to be operating in the environment where he's going to live. Carol Pratt But he has to be taught the skills to be able to live independently in the environment. All they're offering is a care package, John doesn't need to be cared for. White You say they say that cost isn't a factor but of course the cost of Henshaws is considerably more than the budget that they've got for actually supporting people over the age of 16. You could see why that would be something they ought to take into account. Carol Pratt That goes without saying and they've got a lot to do with their budget. But the government do make provision for this within a local authority budget. Money isn't ring fenced, so they can do what they want with it. White Let me just go back to John for a moment. You completed your education at a special school for blind people in Edinburgh, what have you been doing since? John Pratt Nothing's been happening yet because I'm still staying in the house, I'm still stuck in the house, so I'm a bit bored yeah, it's just a waiting game. White And I think some of your friends from school have actually gone to Henshaws, is that right? John Pratt Yeah and it's a shame I've not got a place. Carol Pratt We try to support him as much as we can and carry on with his independence - we go out shopping and do housework, although he doesn't like it. John Pratt I'm not keen. Carol Pratt And his whole social life is down to myself, husband and brother. White If the issue were simply the question of carrying on with Braille presumably there are ways that John could develop his Braille in Scotland? Carol Pratt Well if there are - there are anything we haven't been told about it yet. White I mean have you asked the local authority or the local voluntary organisations if they've got any facilities for giving people extra Braille tuition? Carol Pratt There is a course in Glasgow - Disability that run the Braille course but it's mainly older people who have become visually impaired in later life, not really like carrying forward Braille for a young person. White Presumably John could do that if the issue were just the Braille? Carol Pratt Yeah well he had gone tried it and he doesn't enjoy it. White Why didn't you enjoy it John? John Pratt Because it was all older people that have lost their sight and I wasn't happy with it. I was struggling with my Braille, I was struggling. White So it sounds, John, very much as if part of this issue is lack of contact with people your own age? John Pratt I can't just sit and do nothing. White Do you get at all, have you got friends to go to pubs and clubs and that kind of thing with? John Pratt Well sometimes I go out with my brother and we've got a neighbour across the road who we sometimes go and visit. White But you're obviously missing young company. John Pratt I am yes. White Is that something you'd get at Henshaws as well? John Pratt Yeah. Carol Pratt There's a lot more social opportunities as well, you know it's for John to be able to go out with his friends, all the kind of things, most 19 year olds do it, John was already doing it when he was at school in Edinburgh, choosing to go in the evenings - go bowling, go out for meals, go for coffee, whatever. And the mainstream colleges here don't have a social network out of college hours and with transport issues and things it would mean John would go to college and come home because he wouldn't have access to the social networking that usually goes on for people going to college. White If the local authority continued to say look we just can't fund this, would you take up a place at a local college? Carol Pratt Well we're going to have to do something but it seems that that is - it would just be something to amuse him, it's not necessarily something that's going to take him forward. He has to be able to do something. John Pratt I can't just sit and do nothing, that wouldn't do. White So you would be prepared to go to a local college if that seems to be the only way forward? John Pratt Yeah. Carol Pratt But then you run the risk if it's a negative experience for John it would just throw his confidence back miles. White Carol Pratt. Well in a statement South Lanarkshire Council told us: Statement It is important to support independent living for young people within their own communities, accessing local services, rather than promoting lengthy stays away from home. Education resources may fund placements at residential schools for pupils up to the age of 18, or until the end of the school year thereafter, however, the council as a whole does not fund college placements. Social Work Resources seeks to support young people in exploring options that would allow them to develop career or vocational opportunities. Well joining us on the line is Gill Jennison, who's vice principal at Henshaws. Gill, how common is this situation where you've got someone who wants to come to the college but can't get the local funding? Jennison It's not common, it's unusual to be in this situation. White What are the usual circumstances of youngsters who come to you for this course? Jennison Well the usual circumstances are young people who've perhaps been to a specialist school, like John, and made good progress but now on the verge of adulthood they need to increase their independence skills, so that they can go on to have really fruitful and productive adult lives. White How many students do you have at any one time at Henshaws? Jennison We have around 70 students and a number of them come from Scotland each year. White There are a number of local authorities in Scotland who obviously are providing the funding? Jennison There are yes. White Of course we've heard that people are saying there are none of these kind of services in Scotland but there aren't that many in England are there? Jennison You will be aware that visual impairment is really one of the minority disabilities in this age group, so there's not really that many providers across the country. And coming down from Scotland we are the nearest college to Edinburgh and that area. White Of course councils do have to make tough decisions and probably no more so than now. They say that they can support John in a local environment, what would your reaction be to that? Jennison John is still developing. If his education was cut short at this stage I think a lot of his potential would be missed. White It does sound like there might be a bit of a gap in the market in Scotland, you're not thinking of expanding are you? Jennison Well it's rather tempting Peter, I have to say, but not right at the moment. White Gill Jennison thank you very much indeed. And now, with his round-up of events of special interest to visually impaired people, here's Mani Djazmi. Mani, where do we start today? Djazmi With some good news for deafblind people. The organisation responsible for accrediting people who work with deaf and deafblind people has launched a free internet database containing their details. The organisation says the database will make it quicker and easier for public services and businesses to find qualified professional communicators like sign language interpreters and note takers. Sue Brown is Head of Campaigns at the deafblind charity Sense and she says it's got the potential to make a real difference to the lives of deafblind people. Brown If deafblind people can find the interpreters when they are, for instance, using emergency services, local authority meetings and that kind of thing it could make a huge difference. I think at the moment there is a very big gap for deafblind people. We hear people who've had extremely bad experiences, particularly around hospitals' emergency services, if you are in A&E in an emergency the staff there need to know how they can book someone who will help you to communicate properly and obviously in an emergency it can be a life and death situation, so it is absolutely critical that people know this database exists and use it. There is a huge shortage of people who are qualified to do this kind of work and maybe if this database becomes better known people will feel that they want to qualify because there will be somewhere that they can advertise their services, which hasn't existed in the past. And I think the one message that Sense would want to get across there is ask the deafblind person what they need before you start booking anything because it's critical that you get the person who will give the best support and the deafblind person is the expert in what they need. Djazmi Sue Brown from the deafblind charity Sense. A service of thanksgiving for Sir John Wall is going to be held on the 26th of February and is open to all of those who knew him. Sir John, who died last month at the age of 78, was Britain's first blind judge of modern times as well as chairman of the RNIB. And details of the time and location of that service can be found on our action line. Now, it's probably been a while since you heard this … "Making the unmissable unmissable", the unforgettable slogan of the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s iPlayer service which allows you to watch programmes from the last seven days on the internet. The trouble is that the unmissable is still missable for users of audio description that is because iPlayer doesn't currently offer it. Here's what the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s head of external policy, Wilf White, had to say on the matter on our sister programme You and Yours last week. Wilf White We're working very hard on that. At the moment there isn't a broadband on demand service that includes audio description, we want to be the first in the world. We're very determined to get audio description up with iPlayer as soon as we possibly can. We've got some technical trials going on at the moment and in early March we hope to be able to announce when we'll be able to do it, I really hope it's going to be very soon. Djazmi And Wilf White will be on In Touch next month to give us an update. And finally, it's often been said that if America sneezes, Britain catches a cold. But, for once, it seems that the Americans are copying us. That's because the American Federation for the Blind has just joined the website, Twitter, long after the RNIB made its presence felt there. Twitter allows you to post regular updates of your no doubt fascinating life for as many people as are interested. Today's RNIB offering, for instance, is a reminder to listen to Insight Radio, Europe's first radio station for blind and partially sighted people. White And if I were ever to twitter I would of course urge people to listen to In Touch except that of course you already are. Mani, thank you very much indeed. Someone who has found the perfect way to avoid the current cold and wet of Britain is Cath Burchill. You may remember that Cath, who has RP or Retinitis Pigmentosa, embarked a few months ago on the trip of a lifetime - going round the world riding pillion on a motorbike with her partner Bernard. Last time we talked to her in the autumn on In Touch she was in Turkey; yesterday she told me what she and Bernard had been up to since. Burchill We travelled through Pakistan into India and then from there we went into Nepal, spent Christmas there. We flew then from Kathmandu to Bangkok in Thailand and we spent some time looking round Thailand and then through into Malaysia, which is where we are now. White Now just talk a little bit about Pakistan because I gather you had some security problems there. Burchill We had - most of the way through Pakistan we had the anti-terrorist elite squad escorting us. If you're travelling alone the military want security for you because of the terrorism threat and that sort of thing. So for the next three or four days we had constant security. And one night we had armed guards outside the door. We didn't feel threatened ourselves, it was just that that is what happens when you're travelling in Pakistan at the moment. White Have you felt in danger at all? Burchill When you're driving in India you do feel in danger because the roads are bad, really bad and the traffic is very, very dense. White There's a lot of hooting, isn't there, I've driven in India, I do remember what that's like. Burchill It's a lot of hooting and there doesn't seem to be any rules to the road, so it's really, really difficult. And at some stages we did feel at risk. But having said that we had some really good experiences because we went to meet a man called George Abraham, he runs the Eyeways organisation and he introduced us to a really, really interesting women's group. They were really interested in Bernard and myself's relationship, to be quite honest, cos ... White In what way? Burchill ... the lady who actually runs this organisation she said to us that these women are doubly disabled because they're women and they've got the visual impairment. And we did meet one young lady, she was about 30 and she developed RP. When her eyesight started to deteriorate her husband said she was of no use to him and divorced her. They were quite interested in the visual impaired person with a sighted person and how did it work in England. White So abundantly they were surprised that you and Bernard were an item? Burchill In fact there was one incident - this gentleman, he says, I wouldn't even marry her, never mind take her round the world on a bike. Which is quite a shock really. White How much media interest has there been in you? Burchill There's been a fair amount. In Pakistan we were on ARY, a big TV organisation, we were in the local media there. Again when we were in Delhi we were on one of the main TV programmes there. White And was it your visual impairment that they were mainly interested in? Burchill What we want to do with the trip is to highlight what can be done and this is what the media seems to be interested in. I was a visually impaired person and I was doing something quite extraordinary as far as they could perceive. How they worded it on the New Delhi television was that they'd had a lot of bad news and they said this is an inspirational story and that's how they put it over. White And the bike and Bernard are standing up to the pressure are they? Burchill Oh yes. We did have a little breakdown when we first came into Malaysia, the alternator gave up and we had to have some parts shipped out. White There was one occasion when you got lost wasn't there? Burchill Definite few occasions when we got lost. To be quite honest sometimes getting lost can be quite interesting. I mean I don't worry about getting lost now. White Cath Burchill as intrepid as ever. And that's it for today but keep your feedback and your comments coming. You can call our action line on 0800 044 044. You can e-mail In Touch via the ´óÏó´«Ã½ website and of course you can download a podcast of today's programme as from tomorrow. From me, Peter White, my producer, Joe Kent and the team, goodbye. Back to top |
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