Gibraltar Local Disability Movement
Encyclopedia
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
that seeks to improve the lives of disabled people
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, promote equal opportunities and tackle disablist discrimination
Ableism
Ableism is a form of discrimination or social prejudice against people with disabilities. It is known by many names, including disability discrimination, physicalism, handicapism, and disability oppression...
in Gibraltar.
It was first established in 1985 in response to Gibraltar's lack of infrastructure and facilities for disabled people. The Gibraltar Local Disability Movement ceased to be active for several years during the 1990s and early 2000s, but was reactivated in 2005 to address the situation for disabled people in Gibraltar, which did not see great improvement for several years.
It had become apparent to many in the Gibraltarian
Gibraltarian people
The Gibraltarians are a cultural group native to Gibraltar, a British overseas territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance to the Mediterranean sea.- Origins :...
community, that disabled and the families of disabled needed disability issues to be address, as many had found that groups, or society, and even Government of Gibraltar had become distant.
At present there is no way for anyone to know what the disabled allowances are, put it is expected that this will be rectified soon, thanks to the GLDM's work in advising the Government of Gibraltar .
The GLDM website was established on June 27, 2005, aiming to give people a platform to voice their views on local disability issues, providing a source of information on disabled issues.
Objectives
The society's main objectives are:- To work towards the elimination of discrimination against disabled persons;
- To promote the equalisation of opportunitiesEqual opportunityEqual opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
for disabled persons; - To take such steps as it considers appropriate with a view to encouraging good practice in the treatment of disabled persons;
- Make proposals or give other advice to any Government Ministers as to any aspect of the lawLaw of GibraltarThe law of Gibraltar is a combination of common law and statute, and is based heavily upon English law.The English Law Act of 1962 stipulates that English common law will apply to Gibraltar unless overridden by Gibraltar law...
or a proposed change to the law; - Make proposals or give other advice to any Government agency or other public authority as to the practical application of any law;
- Work towards the elimination of discrimination against - and equalise opportunities for - people with disabilities. It will also promote good practice to employers and service providers, provide advice and information and advise the Government about the implementation of the Disability discrimination actDisability discrimination actIn the late 20th and early 21st centuries, a number of countries have passed laws aimed at reducing discrimination against people with disabilities. These laws have begun to appear as the notion of civil rights has become more influential globally, and follow other forms of anti-discrimination and...
.
There are no documented statistics of people with disabilities in Gibraltar. However, The GLDM can inform that there are currently 124 persons in receipt of a Disability Allowance
Allowance (money)
An allowance is an amount of money set aside for a designated purpose.Allowing another person to have some money is often referred to as an allowance.-Construction contracting:...
. Also, the records kept by the Department of Social Security
Social security
Social security is primarily a social insurance program providing social protection or protection against socially recognized conditions, including poverty, old age, disability, unemployment and others. Social security may refer to:...
currently show that there are at least 51 persons who are visually impaired
Visual impairment
Visual impairment is vision loss to such a degree as to qualify as an additional support need through a significant limitation of visual capability resulting from either disease, trauma, or congenital or degenerative conditions that cannot be corrected by conventional means, such as refractive...
. Social Services
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
in Gibraltar are managed by the Social Services Agency, a statutory body that operates within the provisions of the Social Services Agency Act 2002. The legislation which governs disability issues is the Disabled Persons Act 1992 and more recently the Equal Opportunities Act 2006 which prohibits discrimination in the employment and self-employment field.
Services for disabled people in Gibraltar
The policy of Social Services is to work to the spirit of UK Government white paperWhite paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
s such as that on "Valuing People" and to achieve the standards set out in the UK National Minimum Standards.
Services for people with learning disabilities in Gibraltar come under the umbrella of the Gibraltar Social Services Agency, a statutory body which operates under the provisions of the Social Services Agency Act 2002.
Dr. Giraldi Home
Care of residents
Residential care refers to long-term care given to adults or children in a residential setting rather than the patient's home. People with disabilities, mental health problems, or learning difficulties are often cared for at home by paid or voluntary caregivers, such family and friends, with...
for 14 adults with learning disabilities
Learning disability
Learning disability is a classification including several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner, usually caused by an unknown factor or factors...
. This facility is unitised into four separate self-contained apartments, one of which is used to offer a respite and sitting service. In addition, two other adults are supported on a 24-hour basis in a flat in the community and one child is also supported on a 24 hour basis in a flat in the community. Each flat has a senior social care worker with supervisory responsibility for a team of social care workers. The Team Leader of the adult social work team has overall responsibility for this service but is not on location. The Manager and the Deputy Manager are on location and responsible for the management of all the above.
St. Bernadette's Occupational Therapy Centre
St. Bernadette's Occupational Therapy Centre is a day centreDay care
Child care or day care is care of a child during the day by a person other than the child's legal guardians, typically performed by someone outside the child's immediate family...
for persons with learning disabilities aged 16 and over. Activities to promote integration and stimulation are provided in three units. The Centre opens during the academic year and provides a service to 30 users. The Centre is currently under review with a view to moving away from the academic model and developing into a resource centre which is open all the year round and which allows users to access a range of activities in the community as part of their programmes.
St. Martin's School
St. Martin's SchoolSt. Martin's School
St. Martin's School is a private, co-educational school located in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa.-History:St Martin’s School traces its origins back to the foundation of St. Agnes School for the training of domestic helpers in 1908...
is operated under the Department of Education and Training
Education in Gibraltar
Education in Gibraltar generally follows the English system operating within a three tier system. Schools in Gibraltar follow the Key Stage system which teaches the National Curriculum.-Primary education:...
(DoET) and caters for the needs of children with learning disabilities. A programme of inclusion into mainstream schools is also operated by the DoET.
The Government also pays a grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
to the local Disability Society who in turn manages a home help scheme for families of people with learning disabilities.