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Drawing on a Foucauldian theorisation and an in-depth study with eight disabled student activists in England, this paper explores how persistent marginalisation and ableism in higher education has triggered a wave of activism among disabled students, who, just before the advent of the pandemic, had organised a structured movement, Disabled Students UK. We employ Foucault's ideas of the care of the self and others to discuss the formation of disabled students as activist subjects fighting discrimination in English higher education, in a moment in which the intersection between inclusive policies and austerity measures exposed the ableism rooted in academic practices. This paper promotes discussion on the nurturing relationship that exists between the individual and the community in constituting disability activism and disabled activists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around 28 per cent of state primary school children attend 'faith' establishments in England, the majority in Catholic or Church of England schools. Research suggests 'faith' schools tend to educate proportionally fewer children from low-income families (proxied by eligibility for Free School Meals [FSM]). This paper examines whether they also under-admit children 'disadvantaged' according to another key dimension: having special educational needs and/or disability (SEND). Descriptive statistics and modelling use the National Pupil Database census and span 2010–2020. Across years, 'faith' primary schools are less likely to include children with SEND, and less likely to admit children with SEND to the first (Reception) year. Accounting for area-level factors, indications of under-admission to Catholic schools become more pronounced. Some disproportionality for Church of England schools is explained by confounders – but even after attenuation, they remain less likely to serve children with SEND than non-'faith' schools. Together, FSM and SEND predict a substantively meaningful lowered likelihood of children attending 'faith' schools, so these schools, at the national level, seem to have become hubs of relative 'advantage'. Findings therefore demand interrogation of whose interests these institutions serve, and of their part within the current English system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Health of the Nation Outcomes Scales for people with Learning Disabilities (HoNOS-LD) is an 18-item measure which provides a structured and standardized approach to rating various clinical and psychosocial outcomes and has been in use nationally since 2002. Aims: To revise and improve the HoNOS-LD's utility in contemporary intellectual disability (ID) services whilst retaining its original objectives and five-point severity ratings. Method: ID clinicians were invited to complete an online survey, rating each item on the existing measure for being fit for purpose, identifying issues and suggesting improvements based on their experience of using the HoNOS-LD in practice. Scales were then assessed and revised sequentially; survey responses were used to inform discussion and revisions to the HoNOS-LD by the Advisory Board. Results: A total of 75 individuals replied. Respondents had used HoNOS-LD for an average of 8.0 years (S.D. 5.28 years) and 88% found the scale to be useful in their practice. On average, respondents used HoNOS-LD ratings to inform care 42.4% of the time (S.D. 33.5%). For each scale there was a significant negative correlation between the percentage of positive/very positive respondent ratings and the number of changes proposed. Common changes included simplifying terms, reducing ambiguity and replacing anachronistic language. Conclusion: The changes outlined in this paper are based on the advisory group's expert consensus. These changes are intended to improve reliability and validity but now need empirical testing as well as review by service users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THIS PAPER INVESTIGATES physical impairment and disability in the c 5th to 6th centuries ad in England through a combination of osteological and funerary analyses. A total of 1,261 individuals, 33 of whom had osteologically identifiable physical impairment, from nine early medieval cemeteries were included. The funerary data for all individuals in each cemetery was collected, and the individuals with physical impairment were analysed palaeopathologically. The burial treatment of individuals with and without physical impairment was compared both quantitatively and qualitatively, and patterns within and between cemeteries were explored to investigate contemporary perceptions and understandings of impairment and disability. The results suggest that some people with physical impairment and potential disability were buried with treatment that was arguably positive, while others were buried with treatment that was either normative or potentially negative. This suggests that, in the same way as the rest of the community, individuals with physical impairment and potential disability had a variety of identities (that may or may not have been influenced by their impairment or disability) and could occupy different social spaces/statuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As increasing numbers of people develop sight impairments worldwide, an important body of research has examined emotional transitions experienced with the onset and progression of sight impairment. Many studies convey feelings of loss and social isolation, but there are growing concerns that the scripts of disability in this regard have become somewhat limited. This paper draws on the nature experiences of 31 people living with sight impairment in England to explore the value of nonhuman socialities, moving the 'social' beyond the typical realms of human-to-human interaction to foreground the importance of everyday birdlife encounters. For participants in this in-depth qualitative study – including people with congenital and acquired sight impairments – socialities nurtured through charismatic qualities of sound (termed 'sonic charisma'), scent and touch contributed to experiences of situated connectivity, characterised by playful moments of curiosity, companionship and awe. Reflecting on implications for nature engagement and conservation practices, the paper explores how such relationships could usefully be fostered within efforts to mainstream more inclusive nature experiences in the context of people's day-to-day lives and routines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: This paper shows what people with learning disabilities can get out of enjoying books and reading even when they cannot read words easily.The writers think about how people with learning disabilities can be helped to enjoy books. They say that this can happen through reading with other people, enjoying lots of activities about books and making books part of their daily routine.The writers also think about the way that books and stories help us to learn about the world and the people in it.The writers are annoyed about the way that enjoyment of books by people with learning disabilities has been ignored by people.This matters to people with learning difficulties because enjoying books, even when we cannot read words easily, can give us good feelings and help us to learn and develop. This paper presents the findings of an original research project commissioned by BookTrust, a respected UK charity that gifts books to children, young people (CYP) and their families. It explored the impact and modus of pleasurable engagement with books among CYP with severe and profound learning disabilities and applied a critical, phenomenological stance on what it means to read through drawing on "inclusive literacy" as a conceptual framework. Data were collected from four local areas in England and included 43 CYP aged 4–14. In keeping with a phenomenological stance, it employed interpretivist methods involving 13 deep‐level interviews with families to include observations and structured play; 13 observations of CYP sharing books with others in home, play or school settings, and interviews with 27 practitioners working in a range of organisations (e.g., Portage service and advisory teams). Findings were that books had a positive impact on well‐being, social inclusion and development. CYP were engaged in enjoying the content of books through personalisation, sensory stimulation, social stimulation and repetition. This affirmed the theoretical and practical approaches espoused by "inclusive literacy" but made a critical and original contribution to our understanding of the special place that books occupy as ordinary artefacts of literary citizenship among this cohort. The benefits of volitional reading among CYP who do not have learning disabilities are well known, but the authors urge publishers and policymakers to recognise CYP with severe and profound learning disabilities as equally important, active consumers of books who have much to gain from reading for pleasure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Transition from education to adult life is a stated policy aim for young people with learning disabilities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which 16-18-year olds with learning disabilities or autistic spectrum disorder are remaining in state school education beyond the minimum school leaving age. Design/methodology/approach – A tabulation from the Department for Education Children and Early Years Data Unit for 2014, combined with School Census data and age-specific population estimates, allowed us to compare the rates of children identified as having moderate, severe or profound/multiple learning difficulties (MLD, SLD, PMLD), or autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) in state education at the ages of 16-18 years vs five to 15 years. Findings – For all types of need analysed in the paper, the rate of children in state school dropped considerably at the ages of 16-18 years: 10 per cent of the rates of children with MLD, 62 per cent of children with SLD, 49 per cent of children with PMLD and 23 per cent of children with ASD at ages five to 15 years were in state education at ages 16-18 years. Almost all young people aged 16-18 years in state education with SLD or PMLD were in special schools, compared to just over half of young people with MLD or ASD. For all these figures, there was considerable regional variation. Social implications – Substantial numbers of children with learning disabilities or ASD do not remain in post-16 state education, with wide regional variations that do not seem to correspond to regional variations in need or national policy concerning transition. Originality/value – This is the first data set to examine this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]