The spotlight is firmly on disability in the media at the moment, with the Paralympics underway, not to mention the ATOS games as disability rights protestors demonstrate against the government's new assessments aimed at getting people off disability benefits and into work.
It is quite a contrast, as on the one hand the country, quite rightly, celebrates its finest athletes who happen to have some form of impairment, against those, rather more everyday disabled people, who are currently living in fear that vital financial support will be removed from them in a government-ordered assessment that appears to be more akin to blunt force trauma. For a really thoughtful post about this, see my top story selection below by Polly Toynbee in The Guardian.
The government would do well to remember that our society is judged by how we treat our most vulnerable. As they sit and watch as the Paralympic athletes do us proud, I hope Mr Cameron et al, feel at least a little prick of conscience.
Take a look at the week's stories - don't forget to leave your own favourite too in the comments
- Guardian: Celebrate Paralympians, but remember they needed state help to get there > thoughtful article from Polly Toynbee
- Aspie in the Family: Challenging the view that Asperger Syndrome is ‘mild’
- Disabled World: Temper Tantrums in Children - a new tool to know when to worry it may be something more
- Medscape: Antipsychotics in Children and Teens: - A troubling trend
- Kat's Cafe: Epilepsy Craziness - When a Cold is More than a Cold
- CYPNow: Parent threatens legal action against SEN pathfinder council
NetBuddy: Our updated finance infopack includes v helpful presentation on PIP for support organisations.
- Special Needs Jungle: What's your experience of CAMHS?
- Life with an Autistic Son: “The Silent Casualty”
Disabled World: Groundbreaking Autism Clinical Trial Regarding Cord Blood Stem Cells
- Guardian: Accessible holidays: all you need to know before you go
- Disability Network: Disability and its misconceptions
- NCB: Focus groups on the health and well-being of looked-after children
Tania is an experienced broadcast and print journalist & author. She also runs a PR, web & social media consultancy, SocialOro Media.
Tania is a rare disease & chronic pain patient advocate with Ehlers Danlos syndrome.
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