This makes for a difficult listen but is so important, the brilliant @ellychapple.bsky.social and myself on The Skies We're Under podcast talking about Ella's human rights claim and the impact of unlawful care proceedings on their family open.spotify.com/episode/2rRf...

Holocaust Memorial Day: remembering learning disabled people www.georgejulian.co.uk/2025/01/27/h... 3mins positivity and hope from @blueappletheatre.bsky.social “This better future did not come by accident, or by luck, but by will, by struggle and it will not stay by accident" #LearningDisability

Coroners issue prevention of future deaths reports to inform organisations about risks they could manage to reduce needless fatalities. @georgejulian.bsky.social looks at how effective these are. communitylivingmagazine.com/reducing-ris...

Call out for case studies: I am looking to talk to disabled people who have experienced access issues on any part of the TFL rail network. (And that can include people who have taken up an Equality Act claim.) For a @londonspy.bsky.social piece. #JournoRequest

Serious Christmas cloud cover in Torbados this year; Xmas Eve was beautiful but today is like living in the cloud. Out walking for an hour and my hair looks like I’ve just washed it. Hoping everyone else’s weather is clearer/brighter.

Here’s a story about how researching the racist origins of Jingle Bells helped me uncover some antique family drama. Quiz: what is jingle bells about? A) Christmas B) Street racing C) Picking up women D) A vehicle accident?

Just read my 693rd Prevention of Future Deaths Report this year. Only: 16 relate to learning disabled people (who aren't autistic) 3 relate to learning disabled, autistic people 16 relate to autistic people (without a learning disability) 5% of all PFDs, feels way too low to me #NotFullyHuman

Joyous.

Unbearable.

“David overcame a lifetime of challenges, not least the attitudes of professionals in health and social care who did not understand that, just because a person cannot speak words, it doesn’t mean they can’t think and feel.”

David Lodge's inquest finished on Friday, coroner found he died from natural causes contributed to by neglect at Hull Royal Infirmary. His family statement www.georgejulian.co.uk/2024/12/23/d... "David was a person, first and foremost, but that was forgotten by those treating him" #OpenJustice

My youngest godson turned 7 today; it looked a lot like this. Pretty pleased with the #MeMade blast off joggers, and first football match was a win for the Magpies (and I love their mascot) #Sewing

Something so arrogantly ingrained about #NHS refusing to listen to family members. Why didn’t they listen to her? David Lodge’s inquest finished today, finding of neglect, his sister a Cons Psychiatrist in Learning Disability wasn’t listened to either www.georgejulian.co.uk/2024/12/20/d...

Relatively recent additions to this #LearningDisability starter pack are @communitylivingmagazine.com @samc-change.bsky.social @billrlove.bsky.social @ruthnorth.bsky.social and @emmadimps.bsky.social Lots of brilliant people on that list that give me faith things might eventually improve 🤞

SHINY NEW handle: @communitylivingmagazine.com Give us a follow, we'll post soon! Love my freelance editor role communitylivingmagazine.com Kudos to Digital Guru @lesteph.com (title's digital producer; guru's more accurate) and Eagle Eye Christine Mottley, also not official title but should be.

Eurgh typo but I blame fury at repeated failings. Why aren’t #LearningDisabled people treated as fully human? David died from natural causes contributed to by neglect Why no chest exam? Why no NEWS escalation? Why no admission to ICU #DeathByIndifference #DiagnosticOvershadowing #OpenJustice

Hull Asst Coroner, Edward Steele, concluded David Lodge died from Natural Causes contributed to by Neglect. No chest examination conducted; local of monitoring of NEWS scores; failure to admit David to Intensive Care 11 findings of fact (in link below) www.georgejulian.co.uk/2024/12/20/d... 1/5

“I used to tell David that Wednesdays were my favourite day of the week” – an introduction to David Lodge www.georgejulian.co.uk/2024/11/06/i... Assistant Coroner for Hull will conclude David Lodge's inquest tomorrow morning. It was adjourned on 9 November as the court ran out of time #OpenJustice

A catalogue of trauma, breaching rights, with an enduring impact on a young person and her family. A council unlawfully issue care proceedings, during which time Ella's mother and siblings were required to leave the home, and it made changes to care and education support, with devastating impact.

Truly horrific experiences @ellychapple.bsky.social I am so sorry for what you have had to endure 💔 Working with parents of disabled children I know this is a fear that the majority of families have How hard do you ‘fight’ for your child before the wrath of the professionals descends ??

@ellychapple.bsky.social I literally have no words..I have tears 😭 What have I just read ? There are literally no words I can find that would offer any comfort to your family. How can a system that is set up to protect/support families used instead to weaponised against them? I am so sorry 🙏

Idon’t think I could have survived something as unspeakable as this. It’s incredible that @ellychapple.bsky.social has the strength to tell the story, & George has done a wonderful job putting it in the right context

Please read this if you can - it’s masterfully written, a very difficult read in places, but it’s well worth your time

Essential reading. What happened to the Chapple family is horrifying. My admiration for Elly is boundless.

Absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking in equal measure.

I can’t even begin to imagine the damage this has done to Ella, Elly and the entire family. The ripples of trauma will be felt by everyone and will take a long time to recover from. Much love to @ellychapple.bsky.social and Ella.

"The council had unlawfully issued care proceedings, that required @ellychapple.bsky.social and Ella’s siblings to leave the family home, whilst care proceedings were ongoing. It also records changes were made to Ella’s bespoke care and education package ... causing her significant distress"

This is so important. And so awful. It is a catalogue of abuses of power at every level and it is unconscionable that all of those involved are the very people who are supposed to help.

This read is so horrendous but sadly unsurprising. ‘found that parent blame was not in the heads of families, but was built into the systems activated when parents sought support to enable their disabled children to live a good life.’

An epic read for Monday: Ella's Human Rights Claim www.georgejulian.co.uk/2024/12/16/e... I spoke with @ellychapple.bsky.social about Northumberland Council unlawfully issuing care proceedings and the impact on their family Also #MotherBlame #LearningDisabilty #DeafBlind #HumanRights #JusticeforLB

@lisatrigg.bsky.social Liiiiiissssaaaa Trigg I didn’t know you were here, how amazing is that 😂 hope alls good with you

Would you check out this job ad, who wouldn't want to work with Donald. If I wasn't at the other end of the country I'd be tempted. Imagine getting paid to swim, cycle, explore and chill. Love @cchangescotland.bsky.social. This is like a Flourishing Lives job ad @sarasiobhan.bsky.social 🙌

And families get criticised for being 'overly involved.' When their 'hyper' vigilance is what protects their loved ones. Laura's parents are in my thoughts, and my heart goes out to them.

Went for dinner with some of my oldest mates on Friday (c 30 years), the conversation included the trials and tribulations of elderly parents. I understand the struggle, think I do anyhow, but it sparked a pang of such overwhelming loss and sadness. Not managed to shake it off since. Miss them.

What a thread. What a country. Thinking of Laura and her family on her 30th birthday.

I will raise a mug at 7pm in memory of beautiful Laura. 💕

Today is Laura Booth's 30th birthday, her parents have sent mugs out so people can raise a mug in her memory at 7pm. Laura was just 21 when she went into hospital for a routine eye operation. She never got the surgery, less than a month later she died #DeathByIndifference #LearningDisability 1/8

Really interesting work here on #media presentation/discussion and narratives around #autism. Really like the table visual on the right for an overview of biased/skewed lens on life. Will be thinking more about this (also mother blame, of course)

Question for #LegalSky bods. I have written a report of a settled civil court case. There were no reporting restrictions/NDAs or anything. The court shared particulars of claim with me. One party has spoken to me, one hasn't responded. 1/2

Would you look who just joined the party, Lovestar as he’s know in the Justice Shed, or NDTI’s Bill Love in other places, is in the house 👋 hey @billrlove.bsky.social

There’s something surreal about watching NHS staff warn flu and covid are overwhelming hospitals whilst ditching masks and testing. No medic I know takes LFTs anymore. Many see a clinically vulnerable patient with a mask and don’t bother to offer to wear one too. Join the dots, lads.

This is the only BlueSky in my life right now, it is so desperately grey here and so atmospherically/head achey. This was 08:30, I swear is more grey not less since then. The sea is murky brown with mud too. Keep reminding myself there's blue skies behind the cloud and they'll lift eventually 🤞

Excited to have placed my first small order from @gailmyerscough.bsky.social I have a stunningly beautiful #JusticeforLB Laughing Boy Bus card that @sarasiobhan.bsky.social sent me this summer that I've not been able to take down. Must find it a frame. Some gorgeous bits if people are looking.

Your friendly neighbourhood freelance journalist-author here, diversifying feeds with unsolicited gift inspo: Made Possible, life stories by great people. All expenses spared on the festive photo shoot. A quid off at Blackwells btw, bargain: blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/pro... #LearningDisability

"Full details of the events and failings which lead to X’s death are set out in my Findings and Conclusions document, a copy of which is sent with this report". Judiciary website doesn't include that info of course. Current PFD processes have so much wasted potential. Matters of life and death.

In important #food news I had leek, lentil and feta gratin for lunch and it was banging. Not sure this photo does it any favours, but honestly was spot on. I love a recipe that is as good as leftovers as first time round, possibly even better 👌 A one tin recipe too so minimal washing up #winning

Great @learningmet.bsky.social seminar from Nathaniel Lawford on history of self-advocacy and its relevance. What one thing could #researchers do to make it easier for self-advocates to work with them? Make it clear why your #research matters, and why you're interested in research. Hell yeh.

Looking forward to this in half an hour 👊 Tickets still available if anyone else is interested.

This article does a good job of situating the multiple failings before Declan ended up held in a S136 suite for 10 days. Arguably he’d not have needed an inpatient bed if he’d received better support in the community. Again and again #NotFullyHuman #OpenJustice