(EYDP 2003)
Introduction:
This booklet focuses on some some of the issues Asian disabled people encounter. It contains:
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a summary of DDA and the rights it gives disabled people.
- a summary of European Human Rights Act
- a description of the barriers faced by Asian disabled people and how they can be overcome.
- Asian disabled people's and carers' stories.
This publication has been produced by Asian People with Disabilities Alliance (APDA) in partnership with the Association of Blind Asians and the Millennium Disability Agency (MILDA). All three organisations design and deliver culturally sensitive user-led and needs-led support services within culturally conducive environment. The organisations are managed and led by disabled people with expertise in health, social care, education and enterprise.
Foreword by Maria Eagle, Minister for Disabled People
Endorsements:
- 'This booklet is by Asian people with disabilities. However, it is not just for Asian people with disabilities, it is for the Asian community in general, as we desperately needs to break some of the self-created barriers that our disabled people face.'
Baroness Flather JP DL FRSA
'Disability is a world-wide concern that is now fortunately beginning to be dealt with. Always a good place to start is within our own community. I hope this booklet goes some way towards helping correct the negative perceptions of disability that some of us have.'
Lord Desai
'At last, we are finally finding the courage to genuinely help those people with disabilities in our own Asian community. Disability does and will affect everyone, and the earlier we engage with it the better it will be for all of us.'
Lord Dholakia OBE DL
Meeting the needs of Asian Disabled People
(May 2002)
This booklet looks at ways of meeting the needs of Asian disabled people. It highlights some of the difficulties many Asian disabled people experience in accessing mainstream services, and the problem they face when they do use these services as a result of poor responses to their specific cultural needs. it tackles the issue of resources for minority ethnic disability organisations and outlines the work of Asian People with Disabilities Alliance, putting forward examples of good practice in working with the Asian disabled community. Finally, the booklet addresses issues that social care agencies need to take into account when attempting to meet the needs of disabled minority ethnic people.
The carers cannot care for their carees (the person being cared for) if they themselves are not strong enough to do so, physically and mentally. Carers all need the opportunity to make informed choices about the extent of their caring role, to maintain their own health and well-being and to have sufficient freedom to maintain relationships, employment, interests and other commitments alongside their caring responsibilities.
This booklet explores the difficulties encountered by Asian carers and Asian carees in the UK.
Because many disabled Asian People and their carer experience isolation (eg. an Asian carer may often be the mother of a first generation family with little or no contact outside her immediate community), one aim of this booklet is to inform them of the services that are available.
Another aim is to address the concerns of many individuals and organisations by asking some very direct and challenging questions about the difficulties encountered by Asian people.
Finally, a summary is provided of how these difficulties can be surmounted and alleviated, with attention to the work of the Asian People with Disabilities Alliance.