Becca
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beccalou.bsky.social
Becca
@beccalou.bsky.social
150 followers 110 following 12 posts
HE Lecturer, Research in sociology of education, care and disability, social justice, mental health. Views expressed here are my own.
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Reposted by Becca
petraboynton.bsky.social
A global, mass disabling pandemic
Poverty
Precarity
Unemployment
Housing problems
Social change
Conflict
Political unrest

All are major issues that'll cause or worsen mental distress. Why the desire to downplay all these?

Life being stressful can MAKE you ill.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Life being stressful is not an illness' - GPs on mental health over-diagnosis
Hundreds of GPs in England tell the BBC they are also worried about a lack of help for patients.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Reposted by Becca
cdbu.bsky.social
After extensive consultation and development from individuals and organisations across the sector, we are very pleased to publish the CDBU Code of Ethical University Governance.

You can read the code and the tracked changes version here: cdbu.org.uk/cdbu-code-20...

@profstevenjones.bsky.social 👏🏻
December 4, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Becca
greatnorthmum.bsky.social
I mean I know immigration is the issue du jour but this line from Tice on EHCPs is downright unhinged if he thinks this is what is actually happening @spcialndsjungle.bsky.social @peterwalker99.bsky.social
These are from my colleague Peter Walker, who has been at the Reform UK press conference, where Richard Tice, the deputy leader, has been speaking. I’m at a Reform UK press conference where Richard Tice is setting out how the party plans to save money in local government. On Send support he singles out what he calls “a crisis of over-diagnosis” among children. Tice: “One of the key issues here is these EHCPs [education, health and care plans], middle class parents playing the game in order to save the VAT on independent school fees.”
November 17, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Becca
scientits.bsky.social
Meanwhile, Governments keep complaining there are too many people out of work while doing very little to improve the availability of jobs

Ageism especially - if you want people to keep working for longer, you need to incentivise employers to take on older people because at the moment they are not!
November 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Becca
harrietcannon.bsky.social
Not all school students will go on to Higher Education, but I'm telling you now that the huge SEND increases schools and colleges are seeing are already translating into huge increases in HE.

www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Special needs services in England face ‘total collapse’ from increasing demand
Councils say 59 authorities could go bankrupt by March 2028 without urgent structural reform
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Reposted by Becca
thesiswhisperer.bsky.social
I'd appreciate help circulating this survey, part of our overall work on neurodivergence.

This one is on behalf of the graduate deans, to develop better supervision guidelines.

You can help by boosting and circulating the link in your various networks 🙏 redcap.unisq.edu.au/surveys/?s=D...
Developing guidelines for supervising Neurodivergent HDR students
redcap.unisq.edu.au
November 10, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Reposted by Becca
carers-uk.bsky.social
Have you heard about our online solution #AccessAva?

You can find out about the rights you have and the rights of those you care for at just the click of a button 👉 https://go.carersuk.org/45zKe6V?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign&utm_content=ap_yqkauwewll
A red graphic titled "How has Access Ava been helpful?" displays a testimonial: "I understand what I am entitled to in my current situation and know where to look for information if my situation changes.” Below, the logos of Access Ava and Carers UK are shown. In the background, there's a faded image of two people embracing.
November 5, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Reposted by Becca
harrietcannon.bsky.social
It was probably overly optimistic to think that the Post-16 Education & Skills White Paper would contain anything of use/interest/help to the half a million disabled students in HE, or indeed any mention of inclusive pedagogies as a way to tackle the inequities it mentions www.gov.uk/government/p...
Post-16 education and skills white paper
Post-16 education and skills reforms to develop a skilled workforce and break down barriers to opportunity.
www.gov.uk
October 22, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Reposted by Becca
carers-uk.bsky.social
Behind these numbers are millions of people caring for someone with little or no support. We’re calling for a new social contract for carers that includes:

• Improved financial support
• Access to high quality social care and NHS services
• Stronger employment protections
A paper background with the title "New social contract for carers" at the top. Below are bullet points with checkboxes next to each: "Develop a new, ambitious and fully funded National Carers Strategy," "Strengthen social care support and funding," "Improve financial and pension security," "Support carers in employment," and "Enhance carers’ health, wellbeing, and equality." The text alternates in red and black. A red pushpin graphic is at the top, and the Carers UK logo is at the bottom left.
October 21, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Reposted by Becca
profstevenjones.bsky.social
Just in case the unhidden debt isn't enough... www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Students owe nearly £500m of ‘hidden debts’ to UK universities, figures reveal
FoI data shows 180,000 students and graduates have private debts to their institutions amid cost of living crisis
www.theguardian.com
October 17, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Reposted by Becca
harrietcannon.bsky.social
I've been doing some work with UCAS over recent years, aimed at improving the advice given to disabled students and their applicants. Some of this has made its way into the brand new Supporter Toolkits www.ucas.com/advisers/hel.... Essential reading for #SENCOs #ALNCOs, parents and supporters
Supporters' toolkits for advising students with individual needs | UCAS
If you're unfamiliar with the UCAS application but helping someone apply to university or college, our step-by-step guides will help.
www.ucas.com
October 16, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Reposted by Becca
gailgreg.bsky.social
My latest blog, you ar welcome to read, share or just listen

dementiaalzheimers.home.blog/2025/10/06/d...
Diary – The Decline
Monday 6th October 2025 If you would rather listen to my blog than read, you can click the link below A few days ago my wonderful Admiral Nurses had a scheduled meeting at Pendleside Hospice, nea…
dementiaalzheimers.home.blog
October 6, 2025 at 11:23 AM
Reposted by Becca
survivalinternational.org
“We don’t know how people will survive. The water truck broke down so some people have no water at all.” - Sesodo Moeti.

There’s a severe shortage of water in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve in Botswana.
Man in the Central Kalahari reading Survival International’s materials.
September 28, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Becca
chrishavergal.bsky.social
4,000 university courses closed in last academic year, with nearly half of these at 'low-tariff' institutions. 47% of history/philosophy/religion courses at low tariff providers have closed in the last year alone www.timeshighereducation.com/news/almost-... via @patrickjack.bsky.social
Almost 4,000 courses closed at UK universities since 2024
Analysis reveals half of closures have come at lower-tariff universities, creating a ‘vicious cycle’ for institutions struggling to attract students
www.timeshighereducation.com
September 12, 2025 at 8:41 AM
Reposted by Becca
dis-ppl-protest.bsky.social
#CareNotCuts

📢Join @disrebellion.bsky.social @dis-ppl-protest.bsky.social & @crips-against-cuts.bsky.social
📢29.09.25 at 12 noon for an online protest against the Labour Party Conference which is taking place in Liverpool
Alt text: Image is on a blue back ground there are striped colours on the left hand side and a speech bubble at the top In black text it says disability rebellion then online protest with a megaphone In white text it says on Monday 29th September from 12 noon Disability Rebellion is taking action online in solidarity with DPAC & other disabled people’s organisations who are protesting the Labour Party conference. This is our chance to show disabled people will not be silenced post as many times as you can about Disability Rights share how the cuts to benefits will affect you and your community. Use the # hashtags #GenocideAbroadDemocideAtHome #DisabilityRebellion #DPAC #WelfareNotWarfare #CareNotCuts Together online and offline we fight back At the bottom of the graphic is. A gold star with red hearts then a notice on white background in black text which says 29th September from 12 noon
September 23, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Reposted by Becca
carers-uk.bsky.social
The average person has a 50:50 chance of becoming a carer by the age of 50. Yet many carers are often unaware of their rights and what they're entitled to.

This Carers Rights Day we want to ensure all know carers know their rights and use their rights

www.carersuk.org/press-releas...
Quote in red text: “If you’re caring for someone, it’s important to know about your rights – this includes your employment rights, your right to request a Carer’s Assessment and to be consulted when the person you care for is discharged from hospital.” Below the quote, it is attributed to Helen Walker, Chief Executive, Carers UK. The Carers UK logo appears on the bottom left.
September 17, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Reposted by Becca
survivalinternational.org
Few people on earth have as close a relationship to the forest as the Baka, Indigenous hunter gatherers who have lived in, protected and shaped the Congo Basin rainforest for generations. Yet they are facing human rights abuses in the name of conservation.
Follow Survival for more info.

© Survival
A Baka woman half smiling and sitting, wearing a colourful blouse and skirt, and a headscarf. © Survival
September 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Reposted by Becca
gailgreg.bsky.social
My latest blog, you are welcome to read, share or just listen 😊

dementiaalzheimers.home.blog/2025/09/08/d...
Diary – Influences of the outside world
Monday 8th September 2025 If you would rather listen to my blog than read, you can click the link below Is it dementia that changes me or the outside world Over the last six years, I have been igno…
dementiaalzheimers.home.blog
September 8, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Reposted by Becca
harrietcannon.bsky.social
It's a little galling to receive a notification saying that all staff have to do mandatory GenAI training in the next 4 weeks when I've been trying to make mandatory disability training happen for the last 18 years with zero success. Guess we know our priorities lie, eh.
September 8, 2025 at 3:07 PM
Reposted by Becca
profdamienpage.bsky.social
I’ve been reading a lot about AI. The promised transformation of education; the death of the university; the end of the physical teacher; the demise of the classroom. I’ve been around long enough to have heard this all before.

Don’t get me wrong, I see the potential of AI. I use AI. But let’s 1/
August 29, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Reposted by Becca
carers-uk.bsky.social
On average 12,000 people a day become unpaid carers

We want to halve the time it takes them to recognise themselves as carers.

#ThisCountsAsCare

For more information and support: https://www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/
August 29, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Becca
survivalinternational.org
⚠️ The uncontacted Kawahiva people need protection!

But nothing’s been done, while the threats of violence and land theft around the territory get ever closer.

Eliane Xunakalo is the President of the Federation of Indigenous Peoples and Organizations of Mato Grosso (@fepoimt_oficial).
August 23, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Reposted by Becca
carers-uk.bsky.social
We want to hear from you!

Tell us your story here: https://go.carersuk.org/42KxDvg?utm_source=bluesky&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign&utm_content=ap_kouw1injcb
Image of three speech bubbled Text reads: Share your caring story Carers UK
August 14, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Becca
uculincolnbranch.bsky.social
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
Petition: Urgently fulfil humanitarian obligations to Gaza
Act to ensure deliverer of fuel, food, aid, life saving services etc. We think this shouldn't be dependant/on condition of Israeli facilitation as the Knesset voted against UNWRA access to Gaza. We th...
petition.parliament.uk
July 25, 2025 at 9:45 PM
Reposted by Becca
profdamienpage.bsky.social
‘AI is not going to remove the bias from your hiring processes at this point. AI doesn’t think’.

Completely unsurprising results on a study below looking at AI recruitment, with women and Global Majority data-profiles being advised to ask for a lower salary. AI is built on biases and bad advice 1/
July 25, 2025 at 6:39 AM