About Us

Calendar of Network Meetings & Introduction to Network Activities

The Social Model of Disability

The Disabled People’s Network – Solihull

The Disabled People’s Network – Solihull provides a unique voice in Solihull bringing together over 30 disability support organisations, representative of a diversity of disability needs.

Member organisations include those representing people with physical and sensory disability, users of mental health services and of learning disability services and the needs of carers.

The Network was formed as a charity in 2002 by its Trustees. All of the Trustees either work for disability support organisations, or are themselves disabled, or both.

Trustees and members felt that, at a time when new laws were forcing local providers, in both the public and private sectors, to think harder than ever before about their willingness to adapt, in order to include disabled citizens, there was a real need for an organisation which could support Solihull’s disabled people in voicing the case for change.

Evidence also seemed to suggest that, despite some progress over recent years, there still seemed to be an important lack of understanding amongst individual providers, businesspeople and throughout the community generally of the importance of the Social Model of Disability.

The Network, therefore, acts as a voice in Solihull at Forum meetings and in consultations, on local committees and in user groups.

The Network was set up with support from its own members, from the Community Fund, from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, from the Lloyds TSB Foundation and from the Solihull Community Foundation. It is a young organistion, growing in strength and numbers and welcomes contact from anyone with an interest in our work.