The History of People with Learning Disabilities
Friday 14th June, 2pm
This talk traces the lives of people with learning disabilities over three centuries. It begins with the surprisingly integrated and accepting communities of eighteenth century England, and then describes the mass movement of people out of communities into institutions from the early nineteenth century, which would persist for another 150 years. Finally it follows the move back to ‘care in the community’ which began in the 1980s.
Why and how did these changes happen? Can our understanding of the past help us to better understand the lives that people with learning disabilities lead today, and how they might be improved?
Speaker: Simon Jarrett
Simon Jarrett is a historian and writer. He is the author of Those they called idiots: the idea of the disabled mind from 1700 to the present day (2020) and A history of disability in England from the medieval period to the present day (2023).
A former editor of Community Living Magazine, Simon has been immersed in understanding and improving the lives and fortunes of people with learning disabilities and committed to promoting inclusion and equality.
Tickets £10*
*A £2 ticket booking fee applies when booking online and in person. The booking fee covers costs charged to the charity for the booking system and payment processing.
