France's disability sector is hanging on a thread. There is no safety net

The French disability sector is crumbling under the weight of nothing. Nothing, as in no action, no help and sadly it seems, despite previous grandiose government statements, no concern.

However, the tens of thousands of carers, those who we once regaled with covid applause, came out to protest on 'carers' day' hoping to turn that nothing into something.?

But there was no meaningful action. So what next? I'd love your ideas on how to get their voices heard

Carers, parents, but also school and institution directors, special needs teachers, doctors, nurses everyone basically who is fighting to keep this teetering sector from imploding came out to demonstrate. Their demands are clear: to level up their salaries to those of the public health sector. They brought with them the fragile community they look after to drive their point home. From the very old to the very young - people who for the most part need 24 hour care, who live with multiple disabilities, profound intellectual challenges,?motor neurone disease, severe autism, visual and auditive impairment… “Look at who you are abandoning,” they were saying.?

I am mum to a severely disabled young adult and joined the demonstration in my city Lyon. For the first time ever in Lyon 37 different charities came together for the protest. As I heard one story of distress after another my blood began to run cold. The regional Vice President of France’s biggest autism association, Annick Tabet was in tears. “38 years I have fought for this community, and now everything we built is falling apart.” Staff told me how they can barely guarantee the safety of people in their care, a doctor explained that a severe shortage of medical staff meant they lurched from one crisis to another.

In a French election frenzy I don't know if these voices can cut through the extremist diatribe dominating debate. When they do it will be too late.

Here is the problem and it’s easily fixed.

In short, the disability sector receives state funding but is run by private, often family run associations, or charities. During the covid crisis, public heath sectors workers received a much deserved pay rise. For some unexplained reason, despite their pay lagging behind their public health counterparts, those working in the disability sector did not. Staff cannot make ends meet. Today, in France, there are tens of thousands of vacant positions in the disability sector as workers have understandably jumped ship to more lucrative jobs in public health. The empty posts cannot be filled. The staff that are left are exhausted and burnt out.?

Staff can no longer cover the basic needs of those in their care. Units have already closed, the elderly will live out their last years in hospitals, children and adults will be sent to be looked after 24/7 by their parents.

France has the 7th largest economy in the world. Doing nothing is not acceptable.?