ARC exists to improve the lives of people with a learning disability. We represent the views of the sector and act as a trusted facilitator recognising the perspective and roles and of each stakeholder.
Most recently, ARC has facilitated meetings with the Department of Health, the Health & Social Care Board, the service regulator, RQIA and providers of services to partnership work through the pandemic COVID-19. This also led to ARC commissioning an independent review of the first surge, from the perspective of providers.
In recognition of our role as an honest broker, ARC chaired the Equal Lives review, facilitated the development of the Learning Disability Framework in Northern Ireland and more recently was a member of the Project Steering group, developing the new regional learning disability model, ‘We Matter’.
We respond to consultations, ensuring the voice of the learning disability sector is not forgotten or unheard and we actively seek the views of people with learning disabilities and champion their views to the forefront of any debate.
ARC’s ‘Telling it Like It is’ (TILII) project enables groups of adults, all of whom have a learning disability, advocating their views and opinions to decision-makers and we support these groups to deliver training to professionals.