Could we have a disability board?

[Hazelnut5]

I know there are loads of us on here with disabilities, but there’s currently nowhere obvious to post about it.

There are lots of threads scattered across the topics: issues like applying for PIP, grants, mobility scooters, working / parenting with a disability, where to buy incontinence pads, frustrations, etc etc. But without a clear place to post, the threads tend to get lost amongst all the other concerns. That also makes it very hard to build any kind of community among the disabled users.

There’s a special needs board but that seems to be used mainly for threads about autism and ADHD. It would never occur to me to look there for threads about disability.

Lots of people with disabilities really struggle in their lives and can feel very isolated when everyone else seems to be getting along fine in their able-bodied worlds. I think a disability board could really address our isolation and make a positive difference to our lives.

This sentence from Wikipedia captures how I think of special needs:
The term Special Needs is a short form of Special Education Needs and is a way to refer to students with disabilities, in which their learning may be altered or delayed compared to other students.

The language of disability changes from generation to generation of course, with words like ‘handicapped’ coming in and then going out of fashion. ‘Disability’ seems to be pretty much universally used today.

I wasn't saying that physical disabilities don’t go with invisible ones. I was saying if you title it physical disability I would not feel welcome.

I agree with those who say it should include all disabilities. I don’t see any benefit in limiting it to physical disabilities.

I really hope this board happens. I agree too it should include all disability. It should anyway, but it's not uncommon for people with physical disability to also suffer from or develop disabling mental health issues (as is the case for one of my family members).

Yes please, we have a quadriplegic in our family, so that would help.

I agree a language change is needed, but I don't think people understand that there's no clear "split" with disability between SN/AN/Neurodiversity and what's usually seen as "only" physical disability. For many people, they don't exist as separate things, so a board for disabled adults needs to cater for ALL disabilities, surely?

As I said in my previous post, many adults who are neurodiverse also have one or more physical disabilities as co-morbid conditions, so it's pretty much impossible to have a board for solely physical disability.

I fully support a new board for disabled adults, but not one that excludes any type of disability.

I fully support a new board for disabled adults, but not one that excludes any type of disability. though I still think just replacing SN with “disabled” in the boards we have would work??

100%

@5zeds

I fully support a new board for disabled adults, but not one that excludes any type of disability. though I still think just replacing SN with “disabled” in the boards we have would work??

Well no, because some of us have children with special needs and need that understanding place to go for support

@5zeds

I thought that’s what the SN boards were

The SN site is almost exclusively about autism.

I totally understand that the entire visible/ invisible disability spectrum is enormous and I have no interest in saying that someone is more or less disabled. But "special needs" has become a term with specific meaning. I have no special needs. I just don't walk good! There is nothing "special" about it. I'd participate in a disability board, but special needs says nothing to me as a person with disabilities.

The SN site is almost exclusively about autism. presumably that’s because for some reason people equate SN with neurodiverse children. It was never the intention to have an autism specific boards. If that’s what it’s become it should be rebranded or supplemented. I personally prefer disabled to SN/AN because my son IS disabled he is older. I genuinely don’t like the idea of having disability boards where some disabilities are excluded.

So at present under the banner Special Needs , we have the following sections

Mumsnetters with Special Needs
Special Needs Children
Special Needs Legal/Financial
Special Needs teens and young adults
Special Needs wheelchairs and mobility aids
Special Needs Chat
Special Needs Education
Special Needs Recommendations
Special Needs Undiagnosed genetic conditions
Special Needs Support sessions

We could change the wording to,
Disability and Special Needs

Disabled Mumsnetters
Special Needs/disabled Children
Legal/Financial (disability)
Disabled teens and young adults
wheelchairs and mobility aids
Disability Chat
Special Needs Education
Recommendations (disability)
Undiagnosed genetic conditions
Disability Support sessions

Would that be more inclusive?

Yes please

We could move the carers topic here too - it’s currently on the ‘Other’ board. I expect carers would want to read/post on all the topics, but a carers topic would give carers a place to discuss particular issues associated with caring.

Here’s another suggestion for a list of topics.

Disabilities

Disabilities chat
Children with disabilities
Teens and young adults with disabilities
Adults with disabilities
Wheelchairs and mobility aids
Legal/financial (disability)
Special Needs education
Recommendations (disability)
Undiagnosed genetic conditions
Disability Support sessions
Carers

Would the 'chat' discussions disappear after a certain time?

If so, maybe DLA PIP UC and all other benefits queries would need to be directed to a different board where answers to enquiries would be kept, because the same questions about how to complete forms, be made appointee, shock at how can a disabled person be assessed with so few points, how to appeal come up over and over again as new enquiries.

A lot of the time, people 'in the system' just need reassurance that they can plod through the quagmire and achieve a good result even though it doesn't seem like it at the time. Seeing other peoples' 'how I did it' successes may help, rather than threads with helpful information being deleted after a certain number of days.

I like your list Hazelnut.

Also agree with BlankTimes about the benefit stuff - perhaps a dedicated board would be useful.

I think the most important thing is that the whole board is easy to find and obvious that it is for both adults and children with all disabilities.

@Hazelnut5 ‘s list is better. I think the benefits stuff is part of legal/financial, but perhaps that’s my misunderstanding? I have to say post 16/18 an hand hold through the mire would be very welcome.

Maybe legal/financial should just be called ‘Disability benefits’ so the signposting is really clear. It could be fantastically useful if we get it right and everyone can find it.

I think “legal” is quite important.

Legal and benefits then?

I would find this really usefull too

I think it depends what you want to talk about in that subsection. Benefits particularly PIP, DLA, and UC are obviously important, but wills, power of attorney, budgeting for a different path through life, insurance, funds and bursaries, concessions, support to work, pensions etc are also of interest.
We’re sleepless here this week so apologies if my posts are a bit clipped.

As the partner of someone who has recently become disabled, I would find it very helpful to be able to talk to others in similar situations, and a sub-section of a board like this would be good. I think 'carers' is a bit limiting as a description as I don't consider myself his carer (yet) - maybe 'Families of disabled adults'?

Yes please would love to swop ideas and chat to others with physical disabilities - not that I am excluding others!