CANDDID Stakeholder Conference 2024 brings together over 100 attendees to focus on ‘Growing older with intellectual disabilities’

Over 100 people attended the CANDDID Stakeholder Conference 2024, this year’s focus was Growing Older with Intellectual Disabilities.

The CANDDID Stakeholder Conference, held annually, focuses on ensuring that people with lived experience, their carers and families have an opportunity to become effective partners in research and help shape services across Cheshire and Merseyside.

During the day stakeholders heard from keynote speaker Professor Sara Ryan, Professor of Social Care at Manchester Metropolitan University, who gave a talk on ‘Ageing with Learning Disabilities: An Invisible Affair’ and Parent Carer Alan Griffiths with his talk on  ‘Growing older with intellectual disability – parent perspective ‘Christopher and Me’.

Stakeholders also took part in a range of workshops throughout the day, aimed at capturing as much feedback as possible on improving services and what the focus of CANDDID’s research should be moving forward.

Throughout the day stakeholders were also invited to take part in a workshop ran by DanceSyndrome UK, who’s disability led sessions, with people with learning disabilities taking visible Dance Leader roles, inspire people to see what can be achieved when we all become more inclusive.

Mahesh Odiyoor, Consultant Psychiatrist, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and Strategic Clinical Director of CANDDID said: "We have engaged in some insightful conversations with our research stakeholders and those involved in developing and co-producing services.

“These discussions have been particularly poignant, providing valuable insights into people's lives and experiences. This type of engagement is instrumental in shaping our services to better meet the needs of our Experts by Experience, their carers, and families."

Parent carer Mandy said: “I take out lots and lots of learning and willingness to improve the services. It's not easy, it's never been easy, but coming together is so important because you're not on your own.

The vital thing for a day like today is learning and mixing with other people, sharing ideas, learning how they do things differently, and learning how to do things differently.”

Photos and videos from the day are available over on our X account here.