{"id":632,"date":"2020-11-19T15:51:36","date_gmt":"2020-11-19T15:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/?page_id=632"},"modified":"2020-11-22T17:46:47","modified_gmt":"2020-11-22T17:46:47","slug":"vulnerable-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/vulnerable-people\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8220;Vulnerable People&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"632\" class=\"elementor elementor-632\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-5ae46204 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"12699\" data-id=\"5ae46204\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3ae73575\" data-eae-slider=\"61313\" data-id=\"3ae73575\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-19ce1c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"19ce1c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1800\" height=\"711\" src=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-634\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people.jpeg 1800w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people-600x237.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people-300x119.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people-1024x404.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people-768x303.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/hero-image_vulnerable-people-1536x607.jpeg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cfd1c65 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"cfd1c65\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<ul id=\"breadcrumbs\" class=\"breadcrumbs\"><li class=\"item-home\"><a class=\"bread-link bread-home\" href=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a><\/li><li class=\"separator separator-home\"> > <\/li><\/ul>\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-20f2b58c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"20f2b58c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">\"Vulnerable People\"\n<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e83b1b8 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"78879\" data-id=\"e83b1b8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-32b56340\" data-eae-slider=\"77264\" data-id=\"32b56340\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-31be24aa elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-eae-slider=\"76359\" data-id=\"31be24aa\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-66 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-1c28a72b\" data-eae-slider=\"92855\" data-id=\"1c28a72b\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6113bcf8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6113bcf8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As a disabled person, I was disappointed to miss the London School of Economics (LSE) online event \u201cImplications of the COVID-19 Crisis for Disability Policy\u201d. Streamed on Facebook, and starring an impressive list\u00a0of speakers (Liz Sayce, Baroness Jane Campbell Clenton Farquharson and Neil Crowther), but was able to watch it as a BSL supported video on Facebook.<\/p><p>It is also available as an audio Podcast on the LSE site through the following links:\u00a0<\/p><p>Video:<\/p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/committees.parliament.uk\/work\/320\/unequal-impact-coronavirus-disability-and-access-to-services\/\">https:\/\/committees.parliament.uk\/work\/320\/unequal-impact-coronavirus-disability-and-access-to-services\/<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/6127898346\/videos\/268393447827717\">ve<\/a><\/p><p>Audio Podcast:<\/p><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-medium wp-image-395\" src=\"http:\/\/dev.breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/meet-the-team_vivienne_stone-207x300.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"207\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/meet-the-team_vivienne_stone-207x300.jpeg 207w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/meet-the-team_vivienne_stone-600x871.jpeg 600w, https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/meet-the-team_vivienne_stone.jpeg 622w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 207px) 100vw, 207px\" \/><\/p><p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/lse-player?id=4921\">http:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/lse-player?id=4921<\/a><\/p><p>Amongst the various issues discussed, one resonated with my recent experience and ongoing concerns about the future &#8211; the increased use of the term \u2018&#8221;Vulnerable People&#8221;\u2019.<\/p><p>After years of being largely consigned to the official \u2018behind closed doors\u2019 assessment meetings,\u00a0 &#8220;Vulnerable People&#8221; sneaked out of its box, and straight into the hearts and minds of everyone but the people it allegedly defined.<\/p><p>Definitions of \u201cVulnerable\u201d vary slightly\u00a0 in dictionaries but the following (from the Cambridge dictionary), gives a general idea:\u00a0\u201cable to be easily physically, emotionally, or mentally hurt, influenced, or attacked.\u201c<\/p><p>\u2018Able to easily\u2019 implies a\u00a0<strong>situation<\/strong>\u00a0applicable to anyone or anything\u2019\u2019. However, when you tag &#8220;Vulnerable&#8221; to individuals and groups, it is perceived as an intrinsic and dominant characteristic, negating all other factors that identify us as individuals. \u201cVulnerable\u201d is absolute, it does not recognise changing circumstances.<\/p><p>I imagine, if you were to ask those who reinstated this term (primarily Government) why they ignored the body of evidence gathered over the years on labelling, their justification would probably be something like \u201cto determine those of us requiring \u2018protection\u2019, and to clarify our needs and how best to meet them\u201d.\u2019 It\u2019s unlikely that our rights would be a consideration in that discussion!\u00a0<\/p><p>However, on learning that<\/p><ol><li>Hospitals may not treat us &#8211; we did not feel protected.<\/li><li>Some of us were asked to sign \u2018Do Not Resuscitate\u2019 Agreements &#8211; we did not feel protected<\/li><li>The Coronavirus Bill 2020 Bill would remove important safeguards and services, &#8211; we did not feel protected.<\/li><\/ol><p>Some people were contacted and given instructions about shielding, but I do not know of anyone who was asked about what they needed (other than from people in their own family\/social circles).<\/p><p>It is then perhaps not surprising that the label \u2018&#8221;Vulnerable People&#8221;\u2019 caused a significant amount of confusion and resistance amongst us.\u00a0 We simply did not recognise ourselves in the listed categories!\u00a0<\/p><p>We were not alone in our confusion! Advisors and service providers also struggled with an accurate and helpful interpretation of the guidance provided. Perhaps that is why so many disabled people were not contacted?<\/p><p>Inspired by this emotive term, authorities prescribed and delivered their \u2018solutions\u2019 as we struggled with \u201cdo they mean us?\u201d and sought alternative sources of support.<\/p><p>Reasons why we did not get the support we needed included:<\/p><ol><li>The guidance did not reflect who we are\/how we perceive ourselves.<\/li><li>We did not all neatly fit into the categories listed.<\/li><li>We do not have the same aspirations or needs.<\/li><li>We were not asked about our needs.<\/li><li>Those that asked for support did not get an adequate and timely response.<\/li><li>We do not all have the same aspirations or needs.<\/li><\/ol><p>The \u2018one size fits all\u2019 approach resulted in\u00a0 solutions that ignored our identities and our needs\u00a0 e.g in the distribution of food boxes:<\/p><ol><li>Some went without food because the boxes did not reflect our dietary\/medical or cultural needs.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/\">https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/<\/a><\/li><li>Some did not have the practical help needed to prepare the food sent to them.<\/li><\/ol><p>Others were unable to shield safely because of a lack of PPE.\u00a0<\/p><p>Our history is littered with examples in which the imposition of emotive labels enabled others to:<\/p><ol><li>Create categories of risk and capacity that divide and isolate us.<\/li><li>Dismiss the \u2018expertise\u2019 gained through our lived experience.<\/li><li>Promote the development of segregated services that justified our exclusion from full participation in society.<\/li><\/ol><p>The response to COVID19 confirms how easy it is to undo years of campaigning by organisations of disabled people and strip us of our Human Rights.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p><p>Put simply, \u2018&#8221;Vulnerable People&#8221;\u2019 do not get to control their own lives. \u2018Protection\u2019 overrules independent living and denies us access to education, employment, and service provision. \u00a0 If we do not push back, then it will shape post COVID recovery plans, form the rationale for further exclusion and the \u2018go-to\u2019 response for the next pandemic\/crisis.<\/p><p>As we develop our strategies for supporting disabled people, Breakthrough will:<\/p><ol><li>Challenge the use of &#8220;Vulnerable People&#8221;<\/li><li>Influence public bodies to actively involve and employ disabled people in the development of their Emergency Planning Strategies.<\/li><li>Encourage and support disabled people&#8217;s participation in politics\/social change, be it through involvement in national\/local political groups, disabled people&#8217;s user-led organisations, and social media discussions including the Bunker, a Facebook Group set up and led by disabled people.<\/li><li>Support the call for an Inquiry into the unequal treatment of disabled people during COVID 19.<\/li><li>Promote the Women and Equalities Committees&#8217; Call for Evidence on the impact of Coronovirus on disabled people (closing date 13 July 2020)\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/committees.parliament.uk\/work\/320\/unequal-impact-coronavirus-disability-and-access-to-services\/\">Unequal impact? Coronavirus, disability and access to services &#8211; Committees &#8211; UK Parliament<\/a><\/li><\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"has_eae_slider elementor-column elementor-col-33 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-356bded6\" data-eae-slider=\"60654\" data-id=\"356bded6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1173f7a elementor-widget elementor-widget-sidebar\" data-id=\"1173f7a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"sidebar.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<section id=\"search-2\" class=\"widget widget_search\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Search the website<\/h2><form role=\"search\" method=\"get\" class=\"search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<label>\n\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Search for:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"search\" class=\"search-field\" placeholder=\"Search &hellip;\" value=\"\" name=\"s\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/label>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" class=\"search-submit\" value=\"Search\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/form><\/section><section id=\"custom_html-8\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><hr><\/div><\/section><section id=\"block-8\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Latest News<\/h2>\n<\/section><section id=\"block-7\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_recent_entries\"><ul class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__list has-dates has-author wp-block-latest-posts has-medium-font-size\"><li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/breaking-through-quarterly-newsletter-relaunched-october-2024\/\">Breaking Through Quarterly Newsletter Relaunched<\/a><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-author\">by Mark Watts<\/div><time datetime=\"2024-10-30T10:56:48+00:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">30 October 2024<\/time><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/meet-our-team\/\">Meet our team!<\/a><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-author\">by Mark Watts<\/div><time datetime=\"2024-09-10T09:12:57+01:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">10 September 2024<\/time><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-title\" href=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/website-refresh\/\">Website Refresh<\/a><div class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-author\">by Mark Watts<\/div><time datetime=\"2024-07-12T14:31:25+01:00\" class=\"wp-block-latest-posts__post-date\">12 July 2024<\/time><\/li>\n<\/ul><\/section><section id=\"custom_html-9\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><hr><\/div><\/section><section id=\"text-4\" class=\"widget widget_text\"><h2 class=\"widget-title\">Impact Review<\/h2>\t\t\t<div class=\"textwidget\"><p>Read more about the things we do at Breakthrough UK &#8211; the differences we make and the positive things we do for disabled people in Greater Manchester. <a href=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/find-out-about-our-impact\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&lt;\u00a0<strong>Read More<\/strong> &gt;<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section><section id=\"custom_html-4\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><hr><\/div><\/section><section id=\"block-5\" class=\"widget widget_block\"><hr><\/section><section id=\"block-2\" class=\"widget widget_block\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/link.justgiving.com\/v1\/charity\/donate\/charityId\/128917?tipScheme=TipJar2.1&amp;reference=givingcheckout_tj21\" style=\"display: flex; justify-content: center; width: 256px; margin: 12px auto;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.jg-cdn.com\/buttons\/donate-with-jg-large-payment-logos.svg\" alt=\"Donate with JustGiving.\"><\/a><\/p><\/section><section id=\"block-3\" class=\"widget widget_block\"><hr><\/section><section id=\"custom_html-11\" class=\"widget_text widget widget_custom_html\"><div class=\"textwidget custom-html-widget\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.giveasyoulive.com\/join\/breakthrough-uk?utm_source=charitytoolkit&utm_content=126063&utm_medium=charitygaylbutton&utm_campaign=CTOnlineButton&bc=152f58&br=30&tc=w&wl=1\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/admin.giveasyoulive.com\/images\/toolkit\/online\/button-rect-navy.png?cid=126063\" alt=\"Raise free funds through Give as you Live Online\" width=\"auto\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/section>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Vulnerable People&#8221; As a disabled person, I was disappointed to miss the London School of Economics (LSE) online event \u201cImplications of the COVID-19 Crisis for Disability Policy\u201d. Streamed on Facebook, and starring an impressive list\u00a0of speakers (Liz Sayce, Baroness Jane Campbell Clenton Farquharson and Neil Crowther), but was able to watch it as a BSL<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/vulnerable-people\/\"> [Continue reading&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-632","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=632"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1566,"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/632\/revisions\/1566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=632"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=632"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/breakthrough-uk.co.uk\/homepage\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=632"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}