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Inclusion Europe had a big conference. More than 240 people came to the conference. A lot of these people had intellectual disabilities. People at the event discussed what it’s like to grow up with an intellectual disability. They also tried to find out how to make life better for people with intellectual disabilities. |
More than 240 self-advocates, family members of people with intellectual disabilities and specialists met for Inclusion Europe’s 2014 Europe in Action Conference, which took place in Belfast on 15 – 17 May. Entitled Growing up with an intellectual disability, the international conference, which gathered participants from 23 countries in Europe and beyond, discussed the unique challenges and opportunities of bringing up children with disabilities, and offered resources for parents with or without disabilities themselves.
Co-organized with Mencap, the leading voice of intellectual disability in the United Kingdom, and boasting speakers from Europe, United States and Russia, the conference provided a perfect opportunity to debate issues important in the lives of people with disabilities, their families and carers. Delegates agreed that children with disabilities should be supported and encouraged to meaningfully participate in their communities, be it in decision-making, school or leisure activities. They emphasized how people, even those with severe or multiple disabilities, can and want to make decisions regarding their own lives. Participants also underlined how crucial community-based services, including early intervention and respite care, were for both people with intellectual disabilities and for their families.
“Europe in Action is always an exciting, meaningful and diverse event because it attracts people from across Europe with different experiences of life to discuss policies and practices that can improve the quality of life for people with a learning disability and their families,” said Maureen Piggot, president of Inclusion Europe.
Our press release on Europe in Action is available here. Photos from the event are available on the Inclusion Europe Facebook page. For more information, please check the 2014 Europe in Action conference site here.
