A culture that labels those with disabilities as 'severe' or 'profound' is inhuman

Underfunded services are not the only problem. Worse is a culture that labels people as ‘severe’ or ‘profound’, or something similarly dehumanising, says Paddy Connolly.

IN the aftermath of the acquittal of Dr Bernadette Scully (she was charged with the manslaughter of her disabled daughter), media coverage focused on the absence of support for carers; on the lack of respite; and on the “burden” of care and the need for in-home supports.

Missing from these discussions is the voice of the person who has a disability, or a reference to their rights, or their agency. Fergus Finlay, of Barnardos, said, after the Scully case, that children with a disability are treated as if they are second-class citizens.