Disability Groups Say Britain’s Care Policies Favor Elderly

A coalition of British charities say the government has prioritized social care for the elderly and is ignoring the needs of youths and adults with learning disabilities, according to The Guardian.

In a letter to the English daily, the Learning Disability Coalition of 15 nonprofit groups asserts that the government’s recent “green paper” on social services “concentrates almost exclusively on how to fund social care for older people.” The group, which includes the Down’s Syndrome Association and the National Autistic Society, warns of a $328.8-million shortfall in funds for treatment and services for people who are learning disabled.