Thailand visitors see disability services

SENIOR representatives of the Government of Thailand visited Warrington to learn about services for the disabled.
They visited Disability Awareness Day (DAD), Warrington Disability Partnership and the Centre for Independent Living.
It was the second time the Thai Government had sent a delegation to Warrington.
Senior officers from the departments for Social Welfare, Social Development and Social Work visited to experience systems in place in the UK.
The delegates included Mr Lertpanya Buranabandit, deputy director of the Department of Social Development and Welfare for the whole of Thailand.
The visit covered policy making and budgeting at a governmental level, planning at a local authority level and on the provision of services at the front-line. The visitors saw how the UK model works and how governmental and voluntary sectors work together to provide services.
They met with service managers to discuss funding, legislation and standards and with staff and volunteers on the ground to see first hand the great work and care that happens every day.
The delegates were given a full tour of the Centre for Independent Living and took away with lots of information about user-led services.
A spokesperson for WDP said: “They loved the equipment, especially the folding walking sticks, and wanted to know about getting things exported.
“At Disability Awareness Day they liked the Da Vinci bikes and were very impressed with Martin Finn, the singer with the Autistic Superstars, who powerfully showed what people can achieve with the right support.
“They liked the all-terrain wheelchairs and the other innovative adaptations to wheelchairs.”
Pictured: the Thai visitors with Warrington Disability Partnership chairman Dave Thompson.