Chris represents the Association of Directors of Social Services on the Learning Disability Implementation Advisory Group. Previously Chris was also a member of the Learning Disability Advisory Group which produced a report called Fulfilling the Promises.

Professionally Chris is trained as a Registered Nurse and holds two qualifications. One nursing qualification is specifically for adults with a learning disability and was gained in 1987. The current job in the City and County of Swansea requires Chris to implement the Welsh Assembly Government Guidance for Adults and Older People with a Learning Disability.

Margaret Gregory
Association of Directors of Social Services
Service Manager, Wrexham Social Services
Margaret was trained as an occupational therapist, she then begcame a occupational therapist manager. She has been in general managing of Learning Disability services since 1994 both in the NHS and Local Authorities.

Liz Neal
Director Mencap Cymru
www.mencap.org.uk
I have experience volunteering in a special school and a L'Arche community before going to university. I first started training as a patent agent, before deciding I wanted to work with people more directly.

I have worked for Mencap for nine years initially in London where I was a support worker in a registered care home. I moved to Sutton, Surrey to set up and manage a new registered service before coming to Wales in 2000. I began my career with Mencap Cymru in North Wales developing new services - mainly supported living and was appointed Director, Mencap Cymru in December 2002.

Mencap Cymru has approximately 1,500 members in Wales, of whom approx 1,000 are people with a learning disabilty. Our purpose is to help people with a learning disability, their families and carers to take control of their lives through campaigning, providing information and good quality direct services. My role on the LDIAG is to represent the views of our members and to work with the group to create changes that enable people with a learning disability and their carers to have more choice, more opportunity and to be respected.

I am happy to be contacted by anyone who wants to discuss the work of the group or contribute ideas.

Jim Crowe
Director of Learning Disability Wales, formerly known as SCOVO.
www.learningdisabilitywales.org.uk
Learning Disability Wales is the collective voice of the voluntary sector and promotes the right of children and adults with a learning disability to enjoy a valued life. It represents some 120 voluntary organisations who are active in the field of learning disability in Wales: service providers, people first and self advocacy groups, citizen
advocacy groups and parent/carer organisations. Alongside its well known quarterly magazine Llais and monthly newsletter, Llais Update, Learning Disability Wales has a very useful website, www.learningdisabilitywales.org.uk, that is packed with information, a telephone information line and can help produce accessible information. Learning Disability Wales has a range of other services. These include policy comment and lobbying activity at Wales, UK and European levels, managing demonstration projects that promote good practice and a developing training programme. Jim has led Learning Disability Wales for 18 years. Previously he worked for the citizens advice bureaux service in Merseyside and Cheshire. In addition to serving on the LDIAG and many other committees and networks, Jim is currently Chair of the South East Wales Regional Social Care Partnership.