Copies of Llais magazine

Llais

Llais ('Voice' in Welsh) is our quarterly bilingual magazine, free to members, and a rich source of debate, best practice, latest thinking and thought-provoking articles.

We always welcome contributions and articles for Llais. Please contact us if you would like to submit an article.

To find out how to receive Llais CLICK HERE

Below is a selection of leading articles from previous issues of Llais.

Why people with community support needs sometimes need legal advice

 Julie Burton runs a highly specialist legal aid practice in Bangor, North Wales. Julie shares some of the cases she has been involved in (*all names changed) and suggests that within the current economic climate more and more people will need to turn to the law to protect their rights

 Llais 91 - Spring 2009
The Learning Disability Action Plan: A Critique

 Adrian Roper critiques the Learning Disability Action Plan, its good points, not so good points and raises some important questions

 Llais 91 - Spring 2009
"I have a complaint - who can I complain to?"

 However good an organisation is, sometimes things go wrong. Peter Tyndall, the Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, answers some questions about what can be done to put things right.

 Llais 90 - Winter 2008/09
People with a learning disability as home owners

 Ansley Workman, Chief Executive of First Choice Housing Association, explains the work going on in Wales
to provide home ownership options for people with learning disabilities.

 Llais 90 - Winter 2008/09
Empowered Families and Successful children - Does it happen and how does it happen?

 Dr. Emma Webb reports on an evaluation of the effectiveness of the Children's Intensive Support Service (CISS) in Cardiff and the Vale using focus group analysis of professional and parental views.

 Llais 89
'Partners in Politics': Inspiring young people with learning disabilities to speak out and get closer to politics in Wales

 Getting young people with learning disabilities talking about the things that affect them, helping young people to understand and get involved in politics, helping young people meet their Assembly Member and talk to them, inspiring young people with learning disabilities to get paid jobs through creating role models. These are the goals and successes of the Partners in Politics Project at Mencap Cymru.

 Llais 89
Grand Designing in Wales

 Kate Young, Chair of ‘In Control Cymru’, explores the similarities and differences between ‘Direct Payments’ and ‘Self Directed Support’ and discusses what the future might be for personalised services in Wales

 Llais 88
"What would be a Good Life for...?"

 “What would be a Good Life?” .... Bob Rhodes believes
that it’s a very different question from, “what are your
needs” or “what services do you require”? It’s a question
that elicits very different and far more open-ended answers
that, in turn, generate an abundance of ideas and
possibilities about how a person’s life might be enhanced.


Llais 88
A call to prioritise services for disabled children

 Services for disabled children in Wales are not reaching minimum standards. In a recent self assessed audit of the Children’s National Service Framework, services for disabled children scored the lowest and were well below meeting minimum targets. Steve Beyer and Zoe Richards argue that, whilst policies are in place to ensure services reach best possible outcomes, unless the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) recognises that disabled children should be a priority and back the implementation of policies with a committed funding strategy over the next three years, fears are that there will be no improvement in the services delivered to disabled children.

 Llais 87
Transition from school to employment -What works?

 Transition planning for young people with a learning disability is
more likely to lead to a five-day college placement, or day service
place rather than an employment option. Steve Beyer describes the
outcome of a two year research project that sought to identify ‘what
works’ in terms of employment support for 16-24 year olds with
learning disabilities and their families.

 Llais 87
Bringing People Together on Line

 Rick Wilson of Community Lives Consortium talks about a website
that has been developed as a partnership between; City and County
of Swansea, the Swansea Learning Disability Provider Forum, and
the web development company CDSM called People and Places.

 Llais 86
Llais 85 - Autumn 2007

 Do you currently receive Llais? If not have a look at the brand new issue and see what you're missing. If you like what you see then click here and find out about what other benefits you get from being a member of Learning Disability Wales.

 Llais 85
Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin

 Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin is the leading Welsh 'early years' specialists that aims to give every pre-school child in Wales the opportunity to benefit from early years experiences through the medium of Welsh. Sian Owen describes its work.

 Issue 84
The Italian Job

 Kai Jones, one of LDW's Information Officers took a 'Mini' trip to Italy for a training seminar under the EU's youth programme. Did he come back with the Gold? Read on and find out...

 Issue 83
Location, Location, Location

 Locality commissioning, BIG idea or BIG mistake? John Gilkes, Quality Development Manager at Perthyn, offers a personal view

 Issue 82
Llais - Autumn 2006

 Do you currently receive Llais? If not have a look at a recent issue and see what you're missing. If you like what you see then click here and find out about what other benefits you get from being a member of Learning Disability Wales.

Llais 81
In Control

 In Control has been working to change the current system for social care into a system of self-directed support. This has led to great interest in its idea of Individual Budgets and how they can be used to help all disabled people to get control of their own support and achieve better lives for themselves.

Llais 80
Slow Road to Muszyna

 In August of last year Learning Disability Wales took part in a Contact Making Seminar in Poland. Information Officer Kai Jones, who attended the event with Director Jim Crowe, took along his Bill Bryson travelling pen to tell us about it.

 Llais 79
Public or Private?

 News of floatation of a care home business has prompted questions about the rights and wrongs of ‘the private sector’ making money out of the support needs of people with learning disabilities. Lessons for the (different) Welsh care market? Our man in London, reports.

 Llais 78
Lets Talk About Sex

 "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions..." Woody Allen. Tony Pape of SCOVO explores some of these 'questions'.

 Llais 77
Supported Employment: Cadwynau Ceredigion Making A Difference

 Bethan Davies describes the success and impact of an ESF funded supported employment project in Ceredigion.

 Llais 76
Abuse of People with Learning Disabilities: Everyone's Responsibility

 Rachel Davies, Ruth Northway, Rob Jenkins and Ian Mansell report on a two year study into the issues surrounding the 'Protection of Vulnerable Adults'.

 Llais 75