Sixty years of living with Down's Syndrome

Debbie Race

My sister and my son, they were both born with Down’s Syndrome. I want to talk about the way two things shaped their lives. Government policy and the way it has changed my family and especially brothers and sisters. I will use pictures to help explain things. My family have said I can talk about them.

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Biography

Debbie Race - Debbie has lived with people with a learning disability for over 60 years, having both a sister and a son with Down's Syndrome. She has also worked in the field both as a researcher evaluating services, such as the first ever group home in England, and for local authorities and the NHS as a joint commissioner. This has given her a knowledge of the social policy framework and, more importantly, the impact of such policy on individuals and families. In addition she works as an occasional lecturer or consultant, educating service workers about the impact of their work on individuals with  disabilities.