ARC NI at the Ombudsman Association Conference

ARC NI at the Ombudsman Association Conference

We were proud to be keynote speakers at this year’s Ombudsman Association Conference, where we shared a powerful message: people with a learning disability, autism and other support needs must be heard, valued, and included.

Leslie-Anne (NI Director) and Joseph Turnbull (TILII, Expert By Experience) had the opportunity to bring learning disability awareness to a wider professional audience, sharing lived experiences but also challenging assumptions.

Leslie-Anne and Joseph presenting at the Conference.

Our vision is simple but bold — a world that celebrates difference, respects all voices, and includes everyone. We work to change thinking, change practice, and change lives.

What Is an Ombudsman?

An ombudsman is someone who helps people when they have a problem with a company or service and don’t know how to fix it. They listen to both sides, find out what’s fair, and help solve the problem. They don’t take sides and don’t work for the company.  There are Ombuds people that look into utility companies, banks, public services and police for example.

An ombudsman can:

• Ask the company to say sorry
• Ask them to fix the problem
• Ask them to pay money if someone was treated unfairly

It’s free to use an ombudsman, and there are different ones for things like schools, doctors, or banks. You can find the right ombudsman to help here.

Why were we there?

Because real change starts with listening. Ombudsman services are there to help when things go wrong. But to work properly, they need to be trusted, understood and accessible to everyone — including people with a learning disability.

The Barriers People Face

Leslie-Anne and Joseph talked about the many barriers that make engagement hard:

• Attitudes and bias
• Hard-to-understand communication
• Inaccessible buildings or websites
• Complex systems and policies
• Lack of advocacy or support
• Poverty and inequality

These barriers can make it hard for people with a learning disability, autism and other support needs to speak up, be heard, or feel included.

Our Call to Action

We believe Engagement = Empowerment. People with a learning disability are Experts by Experience — they know what works and what doesn’t. When they understand their rights and the systems affecting them, they can make real change happen.

We’re asking Ombudsman services to:

• Partner with user-led groups to learn from lived experience
• Review systems to make sure they’re accessible
• Create easy-to-understand information
• Train staff to support all people fairly
• Include real voices in your policy and investigations

Final Thoughts

Both Leslie-Anne and Joseph were delighted to be invited to share a bit about ARC NI and what we do. It was great learning more about the Ombudsman Association and how to better engage people with a learning disability in the work of Ombudsman Organisations. Let’s work together to create services that are fair, inclusive and shaped by the people who use them. And let’s Make real change happen.