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Telling New Stories: The Search for Capacity among people with severe handicaps

This paper, which was prepared for the Centre on Human Policy, Syracuse University, emphasises the importance of discovering the capacities of people with disability rather than concentrating on their deficits.

Principles for developing individualised supports

John O'Brien begins by listing four essential contributions that service providers must bring to their work involving people with disabilities. He argues that such work calls for major change at every level of a service system. Although this may seem like an impossible task, it takes individual action.

A House in the Hills

Shirley Excell, a parent living in Victoria, details a prospective community housing project which is being planned in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria.

Violence against people with mental disabilities

Sobsey outlines some major factors that interact with each other to influence the risk of abuse of people with disability.

Keeping our children SAFE

A mother acknowledges her young daughter's vulnerability to being ridiculed and physically hurt, and outlines the ways in which her family endeavours to protect Lindsay and ensure her safety.

Thanks to Friends

Loretta Kirkby, mother of Dean, writes about the importance of friendships in safeguarding Dean against violence and abuse. She tells two stories of how Dean's friends aided and supported him in potentially life-threatening situations. By being part of, and known in, his local community, Dean will remain more secure.

Open letter from the Disability Discrimination Commissioner

Elizabeth Hastings summarises some of the major cases and events in the Human Resources and Equal Opportunity Commission under Disability Discrimination legislation from November 1994 - February 1995. Also discussed are upcoming hearings and future work which includes a case of discrimination relating to access to regular education.

NDSC Position Statement on Prenatal Testing and Screening

This position statement covers: (1) Families' rights concerning pre-natal testing (2) What families need to make informed choices and (3) How society should address the issue of pre-natal testing and eugenics.

What Price Friendship? (extract)

A social worker tells the story of Stan Rivers, a man he supported who outwardly appeared to be an accepted and well-liked member of his community - he had joined a number of clubs, had friends and was generally widely known in his local area.

The McGill Action Planning System (MAPS): A Strategy for Building the Vision

The MAPS process is a way of putting into practice the assertion that 'all children belong in the school community'. This article provides a detailed description of the MAPS process including structure used, content covered and the underlying assumptions of process.