Written evidence submitted by David Blunkett MP

I am very happy to respond all be it briefly (because of the timescale) to the request for evidence.

Can I say how pleased I am that the select committee are addressing this critical issue that has so often been sidelined.

It was a great pity that the first Millennium Development Goals did not explicitly recognise the enormous and additional challenge faced by those with disabilities in the developing world.

The simple points that I wish to make are that where disadvantage exists (because of poverty, gender, ill health and geographic circumstance), the situation for those with disability is materially and significantly worse. That is why in addressing issues relating to the provision of education for children (and transport to and access into the service) children with disabilities need substantial additional help as well as investment in cultural change and work with families.

It is why the facilitation of new technology is so critical in such circumstances as a liberator for youngsters with disability.

It is why with relation to the transition from whatever level of schooling has been made available, work needs to be intensive with youngsters if they are to have any chance of earning a living, becoming independent and providing them with the kind of dignity and self determination which others take for granted.

Linking investment in health and immunisation programmes with positive action in not only preventing but urgent remedial action in relation to disability is also critical.

For many disabled children (I found this in relation to blindness when visiting East Africa with Sight Servers International) it was evident that with the right measures, disability could either have been prevented or in some circumstances cured.

This was not simply a matter of medical intervention or surgery but also the social measures that needed to go with it to ensure that regular immunisation (and follow up drug provision) was accessed. The work with children in and out of school and families was coordinated across agencies and, those working on such programmes, actually had some idea as to what they were doing. My experience was that with all the best intentions in the world, there were a large number of people who were intermediaries, who had no experience whatsoever and had never been trained in dealing with disability issues.

I am pleased that internationally, there is now mention of disability in the revised programmes but turning good intentions and the right words into action will take something more than gestures.

We need practical measures for training, for added value interventions, for follow up and above all for coordination between programmes.

Embedding action to prevent and to support those with disability into programmes will take time. Above all, it will take strong and determined will to do so.

Is that will evident?

December 2013