NWTDT | Pathways Associates CIC

💜 Learning Disability Week 2026 | Compassion in Action 💜

At our recent North West Learning Disability Conference in Blackpool, delegates, speakers and people with lived experience came together to explore what compassion really means.

The result was this simple but powerful message:

Compassion is not just a feeling, it’s taking action.

Together, we identified five ways we can all show compassion in our communities:

🤝 Being a good neighbour
👂 Really listening
☕ Checking in
🌈 Celebrating our differences
💪 Working together through co-production

These ideas came directly from conversations at the conference and reflect the values that help create communities where people with a Learning Disability feel valued, included and connected.

This Learning Disability Week, we’d love to know:

What does compassion look like to you?

💜 Learning Disability Week Spotlight 💜

Everyone has the right to friendships, relationships, connection and belonging.

Our My Right to Friendships and Relationships workshop explores how support workers, health professionals and others can help people with a Learning Disability build and maintain meaningful relationships.

Delivered with experts by experience and packed with practical learning.

Find out more at:
🌐 www.pathwaysassociates.co.uk

Want to ask the government to prioritise the health of people with learning disabilities?

Support this open letter to the Prime Minister calling for:

✅ A new national programme and strategy for people with learning disabilities
✅ Action to tackle health inequalities
✅ Accountability for delivering change

Please join us in adding your name and supporting the campaign.

✉️ Easy read letter: https://tinyurl.com/mtaknxna

✍️ Sign the letter: https://tinyurl.com/yv2ean8a

Stronger, louder, together this

📢 Are you an Expert by Experience involved in CETRs (Care and Education Treatment Reviews)?

Inclusion North, Learning Disability England and NWTDT | Pathways Associates CIC are carrying out a survey to understand the experiences of Experts by Experience involved in CETRs across the country.

Experiences of CETRs can vary, and this survey aims to find out what works well and what could be improved.

The findings will be shared with CETR support hubs, NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. A final report will also be shared with Expert by Experience hubs and may include quotes from survey responses.

The main aim is to make sure Experts by Experience can influence the future of CETRs.

If you are an Expert by Experience involved in CETRs, please take a few minutes to complete the survey:

https://rixeasysurvey.org/kiosk/JbWw

The UK Supreme Court has changed the way the law works on whether a disabled person is being deprived of their liberty if they cannot make the decision themselves.

This means that the rules on Deprivation Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) has changed.

You can read Learning Disability England's statement and find out more here:

https://tinyurl.com/45jzxyfj

🚨 Last Minute Places Available 🚨

We have a small number of places available on our upcoming Oliver McGowan Mandatory Training Tier 2 session.

Don't just take our word for it, recent attendees told us:

💬 "One of the best days of training I have been to in 17 years of being a social worker."

💬 "Having people with lived experience makes a difference, you can see it from their perspective."

💬 "The experts with lived experience were brilliant."

💬 "It made me completely rethink my understanding."

Our training is co-delivered with Experts by Experience and combines real-life perspectives, practical learning, discussion, videos and interactive activities to help improve understanding of learning disability, autism, communication and reasonable adjustments.

📍 Limited places remaining
📅 25th June 2026

Book now before the remaining places are gone:

pathwaysassociates.co.uk

15 years… still much to do

Hope and Solidarity: 15 years On - Learning Disability England 15 years on from the BBC Panorama investigation that exposed abuse at Winterbourne View, too many people with learning disabilities and autistic people are still being failed by systems that should support them to live safe, good lives in their communities.  While there has been some progress ...

We loved being part of this project! Thank you to our very own Janice Wycherley :-)