It's time to value everyone

People with learning difficulties who are also from ethnic minorities face double discrimination and exclusion in all areas of their lives. The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 and the Valuing People white paper were supposed to address these disadvantages.

Both these policies give a strong lead to local action for people with learning difficulties and people from ethnic minorities. These policies have enormous potential to reduce social exclusion, educational underachievement, higher rates of unemployment and health inequalities. However, people with learning difficulties who are from ethnic minorities find themselves in a strange position. As part of an ethnic minority their needs are being prioritised as are their needs as people with learning difficulties. However, within work on learning difficulties, their needs relating to ethnicity are not being prioritised.