Understanding disability award for Dr Margaret Woodhouse
17 December 2012
Dr Margaret (Maggie) Woodhouse has been highly commended in the 'Lifetime Achievement' category of the Understanding Disability Awards 2012.
In deciding to make the award, the judges were particularly impressed with
- Maggie's long-term commitment in leading a research team that investigates visual problems in children with Down's Syndrome;
- her efforts in supporting a number of children in school over many years, including providing advice to parents and teachers;
- her team's efforts in raising awareness and advising school staff on how to overcome visual difficulties for children with Down's Syndrome, in order to benefit classroom activity;
- the national and international recognition that her research has received, through journal publications.
The award was administered by the Understanding Disability Group, which includes parents of people from Cardiff with a learning disability, the Vale Parents Federation and representatives from other organisations in the two counties. The judges included parents, a parson with learning disability and councillors, as well as representatives from the business community, Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Local Health Board, Social Services, Education and other organisation involved with learning disability.
There are six main categories of award: a school, an individual, an employer, a local group/organisation, a child or group of children and a professional. This year, they have also introduced a Special Diamond Jubilee Lifetime Achievement Award for a dedicated individual showing lifetime commitment, in honour of the Queen's Jubilee.
The aim of the awards is to encourage good practice in improving attitudes in the community towards disability by, for example, the provision of information or including people with a learning disability in mainstream schools, employment or leisure activities.
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Senior Lecturer, Head of the Down’s Syndrome Vision Research Unit
