Community ConneX is the primary campaigning body and leading voice and provider of personalised services for people with learning disabilities in Harrow, northwest London. In 2022, Community ConneX has been working tirelessly to raise awareness of safety issues experienced by those living with learning disabilities and autism.
One of the ways that Community ConneX has sought to do this is through hosting a Learning Disability and Autism [LDA] Forum at North Harrow Methodist Church. The event in mid-June saw a turnout of 80 guests who came to learn what they could do to empower their fellow local residents for a safer community.
After co-chairs David House and Charlotte Thomson introduced themselves and set the programme for the day, a “human bingo” ice-breaker exercise was undertaken to enable people from different backgrounds and professions to become better acquainted, setting a positive tone for the remainder of the day’s exercises.
Following on, Kristina Dvorakova and Sophie Dunford from the Headstone South Safer Neighbourhoods Team led a lively discussion on problems around safety that can be experienced by people with learning disabilities and autism. Community ConneX clients and supporters voiced safety concerns directly to the police. These concerns range from insecurity felt in public places to dissatisfaction with police response to crime.
Kristina and Sophie urged people to call 999 to report any incident that makes anybody feel unsafe. They explained that the police are given sensitivity and awareness training every six months so that they can respond appropriately to crimes reported by people with a learning disability or autism. Kristina also pointed out that some people might not want to interact with police officers in crowded spaces, while others might feel anxious in different settings.
For less urgent issues, people were advised to call 101 or go directly to a local police station. Kristina and Sophie acknowledged that police stations in Harrow have been closed down with the exception of South Harrow Police Station on Northolt Road, with cuts to local public services causing further issues.
Ria Hawes, who works with Together ConneX at Pinner Green, demonstrated several actions that can be taken if somebody with autism or a learning disability was to be confronted with a physical threat to their safety.
The first recommended action was to show open palms in a “W” shape and attempt to ward off the assailant by shouting: “No! Stop! Go away!”. These actions are viewed as defensive and therefore the victim cannot be accused of throwing the first punch.
With Sandy Bowman playing the role of a potential attacker, Ria demonstrated defensive movements that can be taught through self-defence classes. Community ConneX is actively exploring the possibility of providing self-defence sessions tailored to its clients.
At the forum, it was also widely acknowledged that there is a clear need for more LD nurses. Two such nurses, Hellen Odiembo and Chris Greeno, were in attendance. The duo share their workload across Northwick Park Hospital, Central Middlesex Hospital and Ealing Hospital. Both urged others present to use Health Passports and keep their document up to date.
They also advised Community ConneX clients to present their Health Passport whenever they attend a GP or hospital appointment, even if not all health professionals are familiar with them. Hellen also recommended that anyone with a learning disability that isn’t in a hospital setting should ask the health professional they most regularly see to inform LD nurses of the appointment.
Above all, the LDA Forum hosted by Community ConneX proved effective as a safe space for people to speak out. Irrespective of whether people have a disability or not, safety is the concern of all, and Community ConneX believes that entire communities have a duty to ensure that nobody experiences threats to safety, harm or abuse of any kind.
Photo by Nathan Anderson on Unsplash
