-----Original Message-----
From: Marc Bush [mailto:marc.bush@...]
Sent: 21 November 2008 15:35
Subject: New No Voice, No Choice Report Launched

Dear Friend,

I am writing to tell you about the launch of the new No Voice, No Choice research report at our parliamentary reception in the House of Commons.

No Voice, No Choice is a 3 year project looking at the provision and support of AAC in the UK and is supported by BT, as part of the BT Better World Campaign.

The reception was hosted by Dr Roger Berry MP, who is a long standing advocate for the rights of disabled people and is currently the secretary of the All Party Parliamentary Disability Group. We were pleased to see over 100 of you at the event whose experiences contributed to this year's report.

The new No Voice, No Choice report looks at the state of Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) services through the lens of professionals. More specifically, it focuses on current challenges to the funding, provision and support of professionals in their delivery of AAC services.

The report calls on the Government to deliver a commitment to children and young people who use AAC through the implementation of the forthcoming Child Health Strategy and the Bercow Implementation Plan. The report further highlights the need for the Government to focus on support for adults (post-19) who use AAC. The report concludes by making 10 recommendations to Government, calling on them to take action to ensure all disabled people enjoy their fundamental human right to communication.

You can read the full report on our No Voice, No Choice Campaign Website at: www.timetogetequal.org.uk/communication .

Thank you once again to all those who attended the event, it was great to have so many voices of expertise in the room and we had extremely positive feedback from MPs and Peers who attended.

We particularly welcome the comments made by one of our speakers, John Bercow MP, who recently reported on his independent review of children, young people, speech, language and communication. John urged the Government to commit to delivering measures which would ensure the effective provision of AAC services and the support of the workforce. He further noted that his report acknowledged that speech, language and communication needs continued beyond the age of 19 years and therefore the Government should endeavor to look at the needs of adults, particularly during and post transition.

The final speech of the event was delivered by Peter Zein, who is an independent AAC consultant, a No Voice, No Choice Steering Group Member and someone who uses AAC himself. Peter reminded us that the lack of specific AAC knowledge in health, education and social care results in poor or non provision. He further discussed the acute need for policies in these authorities on how best to meet the needs of adults who use AAC. Lastly, Peter highlighted that best practice occurred when the voices of people who use AAC where at the heart of these policies.

If you would like any more details of the No Voice, No Choice Campaign or would like to download a copy of the report please go to: www.timetogetequal.org.uk/communication .

If you would like to request a hard copy or an alternative format of the new report please email us at communication.aids@... or by phone on 02076197254.

If you know someone who would be interested in receiving these updates please ask them to send an email to communication.aids@... with subscribe me in the subject line. If you would like to unsubscribe please send an email to communication.aids@... with unsubscribe me in the subject line.

Best Wishes,

Marc

Marc Bush
Policy & Government Affairs, Scope

Phone: +44 (0)207 619 7254
Email:  Marc.Bush@...

In March 2007 the UK Government signed the UN Convention on the ‘Rights of Persons with Disabilities’. The Convention is the first treaty in history to give the millions of disabled people across the globe comprehensive human rights. The UK needs to ratify the Convention before it becomes legally binding. So far, it has not done so. Please encourage the Prime Minister to ratify the Convention without reservations - add your name to our online petition at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/noreservations/