Blind disabled girl who can't speak ordered to attend INTERVIEW to make her WORK

A PARALYSED and blind teenager who has the mental age of a three-month-old baby was told by Government officials to attend a 'work-focused interview' – even though she can't speak.

Danika Smith, 19, has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, which has left her unable to walk and with the mental age of a zero to three-month-old, and she also has cortical blindness.

After mother Donna, 41, put a benefits claim in for her several disabled daughter, the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) sent a letter calling Danika in for a meeting.

SWNS
Danika received a letter requesting her attendance at a 'work-focused interview'
Ms Smith, who is her daughter’s full-time carer, planned to attend the meeting as she was “intrigued” to watch the adviser try and discuss work prospects with her.

But after publishing the letter on Facebook, the DWP cancelled the meeting.

Ms Smith, from Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, said: "I would gladly have taken her just to see how farcical it is."



The mother-of-three described the letter as "yet another slap in the face to an already difficult struggle”.

She said her case was "far from isolated" and that many others people in similar positions were also suffering.

She is calling for a national register for people with lifelong disabilities so they can smoothly transition to Employment Support Allowance without an assessment.

SWNS
Mother Donna was shocked to receive a letter from the Department of Work and Pensions
SWNS
Donna is Danika's full-time carer
A petition has already been signed by more than 3,000 people.

Apologising to the family, a DWP spokesperson said: "We have a process in place which should prevent letters such as these being issued.

"Unfortunately, on this occasion, the process was not followed correctly.

"We have apologised to Ms Smith and have instigated further training to prevent this happening again."



http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/609552/Severely-disabled-teen-work-interview-DWP





The number of times they have said "We have apologised to ......... and have instigated further training to prevent this happening again." but they still keep doing it.

yeah well its because ther are no "consequences"

if the people that allowed these letters to escape were sacked for it then we might see an improvement

trouble is as per usual...no one is "responsible"

Too true, but the man really responsible IDS, because he sets the 'targets' they pretend don't exist, is the one really getting away with it.

What a farce! Jesus. Like the girl's mother doesn't have enough to do without the worry of money and stupidarse letters sent by brain dead idiots!!

Happens every day Eddie, you should read the Disability papers, they are full of it.  And it's not an accident, it's on purpose.