When people with learning disabilities are not merely consulted but actively involved in shaping their own lives, something fundamental shifts. Support stops being something done to them and becomes something created with them. Confidence and independence grow and strengthen. The Jewish principle that every person is created b’tselem Elohim – in the image of God – reminds us that every individual possesses inherent dignity, value and purpose.
At Kisharon Langdon, this is not a slogan. It is our daily practice. The theme of this year’s Learning Disability Awareness Week, which ran from June 15 to 21, was “Do you see me?” It cut to the heart of our work. It is a question not about visibility alone, but about recognition. It asks whether society is prepared to see people with learning disabilities as individuals with agency, preferences and ambition, rather than as problems to be managed or as costs to be contained.
That challenge matters now more than ever. Across the country, charities supporting people with learning disabilities are being pushed to breaking point. Years of underinvestment in social care have hollowed out provision at every level. Government commitments are backed by fragile funding. Local authorities, facing relentless financial pressure, are forced to prioritise survival over quality. Too often, what disappears first is personalisation – the very thing that allows people to thrive rather than simply subsist.
Yet, personalisation is not a luxury extra. It is essential. Kisharon Langdon exists precisely because generic systems fail people with learning disabilities, particularly within the Jewish community. One-size-fits-all models rarely reflect the complexity of real lives or the central role that faith, culture and belonging play in shaping identity. When resources are stretched, individuality is treated as expendable.
Our work is grounded in co-creation. We support people to shape the activities, programmes and decisions that affect them. That might be members’ meetings where individuals decide together what their community should look like. It might be adapting support around a person’s communication style, sensory needs or passions. It might mean members themselves leading the celebration of festivals and traditions that carry meaning and pride.
A community is judged not by how it serves the most influential, but by whether everyone is given the opportunity to belong and contribute
This is what it means to truly see someone. It reflects the Jewish value of kavod habriyot – honouring the dignity of every person. Seeing someone properly takes time, trust and investment. It requires skilled staff who can listen, adapt and build relationships. It depends on continuity and care that values dignity over speed. But these are the qualities current funding models undermine. Charities are expected to absorb increasing demands while delivering more sophisticated support with fewer resources, all while filling the gaps left by overstretched public services. Every day, we see the impact of personalised, co-created support.
We see people gain confidence when they are trusted to make choices about their own lives, feeling listened to, respected and valued.
We also see the cost when this approach is treated as optional. Short-term funding priorities reward efficiency over humanity, measure activity rather than outcomes and cost rather than quality of life. They leave charities struggling to plan as need continues to grow. In this climate, services that put the individual first are not just undervalued. They are at risk.
This should concern the Jewish community deeply. Our tradition places collective responsibility at its centre. A community is judged not by how it serves the most influential, but by whether everyone is given the opportunity to belong and contribute. Jewish teaching challenges us not merely to include people, but to build communities in which every individual can participate fully, and with pride. That principle demands more than awareness campaigns. It requires sustained commitment, political will and proper investment.
At Kisharon Langdon, “co-creation” is not a buzzword. It is an expression of respect. So, when we ask: “Do you see me?”, the answer is not theoretical. It is demonstrated in whether we support the charities doing this work and insist personalisation is non-negotiable. Seeing someone means building with them and ensuring that, long after Learning Disability Awareness Week has passed, they are still heard, valued and able to belong.
Richard Franklin is chief executive of Kisharon Langdon
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