Louise Farrington
Nominee Profile
Location: Liverpool
I was born Nov 1980 with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
Back then everyone born with a Disability went to a ‘special school’ I don’t like this term
At the age of 7 my mum decided that she wanted me to go to the mainstream primary school that my younger sisters attended. The Head teacher and City council agreed to the physical adaptations in the school and I moved to the school. At the time I was the first and youngest physically disabled child in Liverpool to attend a mainstream school.
School wasn’t easy as I was the only child with a physical disability at the school and the first encounter to a disabled person that the majority of the pupils and staff had had. As a result of ignorance exclusion and bullying took place but looking back I am glad I experienced this.
I went to a mainstream secondary school 8 miles from where I lived due to it being the only wheelchair accessible mainstream school in Liverpool. Although still difficult there were other physically disabled young people at the school so there was a bit more acceptance and inclusion.
I am the eldest of 7 children and have always had the aspiration and ambition to work. Just because my legs don’t work and a couple of my organs the way others work and I get around on wheels why shouldn’t I work.
I struggled through my exams and passed most of the them. I wanted to work with children and young people. I wanted to go to uni to get a professional job. I applied to do primary education to become a teacher, I got an interview but the evening before the interview I got a phone call to say that the building where the course was taught was not accessible to a wheelchair user. I was told to choose another course. I chose to do Psychology and Sociology with Philosophy, Ethics and Theology.
I didn’t have the same social life experience as able bodied non disabled students due to inaccessibility of night life venues etc but the most of what I could. I did make some friends but not friends I was going to have for life.
After uni I applied for a job as Graduate mentor role to work with Disabled and neurodivergent young people in both special and mainstream schools. Glad to say I got the job and had the most amazing manager. I had the best 5 years working in these schools but there was no progression and I was told by my manager and others including my now business partner that I had a real talent at working with young people and I should revisit my dream of being a teacher but not with primary but secondary. When at school I thought I wouldn’t be able to work with teenagers but it turned out I could.
I applied to do a PGCE and went through a gruelling interview where it was clear from the line of questioning that the tutors didn’t think that I would be able to cope. But thanks to all my experience in schools and foresight of an amazing teacher who went on to be my mentor I gained a place.
Attending interviews for a teaching job I experienced a lot of prejudice very covert but when you’ve had it all your life and experience it everyday – you know! I was always the very close second.
Eventually I did get a teaching post (temporary) in my 2nd placement school. I was there for 3 years and had various roles. I had a fab rapport with the students in what was known as a tough inner city school. The kids never had an issue with my disability. I can’t say the same about lots of my colleagues.
After 3 years of being there it was decided that two schools were going to merge and the building they were moving to was not wheelchair accessible – I lost my job.
This led to nearly two years of unemployment and then employment in a school where I experienced discrimination, exclusion and harassment from staff.
I then landed a job in a school that I worked in as a graduate mentor and thought all my dreams had come true and I had a job for life. I loved the job and I was there for 10 years but for many of these years I was not paid as a teacher, despite having an Masters degree and many years of experience.
I put up with this because I loved the young people and it gave me a sense of purpose but years o f discrimation had detrimental effects on my mental and physical health. So I therefore went part time first and picked up some freelance work as I am also a qualified careers advisor.
Over the last couple of years at the school I got more and more work and had to work in more and more inaccessible places. I knew I didn’t fit in and wasn’t going to be appreciated. Act for Action was already set up in late 2018 and at the beginning of 2020 I knew I had to get out for my mental and physical health.
Being self employed in an accessible building with my ally of a business partner and my tribe I don’t feel disabled. As my physical disability and wheelchair doesn’t disable me but societal attitudes, built environment, prejudice and discrimination do. I will never work for any one else again and many many disabled people feel the same especially those born with a physical impairment. And those who have the determination, stamina, resilience and a big dose of luck and family and friend support decide that societal barriers stop them from being employed and decide they need to work for themselves.
Back then everyone born with a Disability went to a ‘special school’ I don’t like this term
At the age of 7 my mum decided that she wanted me to go to the mainstream primary school that my younger sisters attended. The Head teacher and City council agreed to the physical adaptations in the school and I moved to the school. At the time I was the first and youngest physically disabled child in Liverpool to attend a mainstream school.
School wasn’t easy as I was the only child with a physical disability at the school and the first encounter to a disabled person that the majority of the pupils and staff had had. As a result of ignorance exclusion and bullying took place but looking back I am glad I experienced this.
I went to a mainstream secondary school 8 miles from where I lived due to it being the only wheelchair accessible mainstream school in Liverpool. Although still difficult there were other physically disabled young people at the school so there was a bit more acceptance and inclusion.
I am the eldest of 7 children and have always had the aspiration and ambition to work. Just because my legs don’t work and a couple of my organs the way others work and I get around on wheels why shouldn’t I work.
I struggled through my exams and passed most of the them. I wanted to work with children and young people. I wanted to go to uni to get a professional job. I applied to do primary education to become a teacher, I got an interview but the evening before the interview I got a phone call to say that the building where the course was taught was not accessible to a wheelchair user. I was told to choose another course. I chose to do Psychology and Sociology with Philosophy, Ethics and Theology.
I didn’t have the same social life experience as able bodied non disabled students due to inaccessibility of night life venues etc but the most of what I could. I did make some friends but not friends I was going to have for life.
After uni I applied for a job as Graduate mentor role to work with Disabled and neurodivergent young people in both special and mainstream schools. Glad to say I got the job and had the most amazing manager. I had the best 5 years working in these schools but there was no progression and I was told by my manager and others including my now business partner that I had a real talent at working with young people and I should revisit my dream of being a teacher but not with primary but secondary. When at school I thought I wouldn’t be able to work with teenagers but it turned out I could.
I applied to do a PGCE and went through a gruelling interview where it was clear from the line of questioning that the tutors didn’t think that I would be able to cope. But thanks to all my experience in schools and foresight of an amazing teacher who went on to be my mentor I gained a place.
Attending interviews for a teaching job I experienced a lot of prejudice very covert but when you’ve had it all your life and experience it everyday – you know! I was always the very close second.
Eventually I did get a teaching post (temporary) in my 2nd placement school. I was there for 3 years and had various roles. I had a fab rapport with the students in what was known as a tough inner city school. The kids never had an issue with my disability. I can’t say the same about lots of my colleagues.
After 3 years of being there it was decided that two schools were going to merge and the building they were moving to was not wheelchair accessible – I lost my job.
This led to nearly two years of unemployment and then employment in a school where I experienced discrimination, exclusion and harassment from staff.
I then landed a job in a school that I worked in as a graduate mentor and thought all my dreams had come true and I had a job for life. I loved the job and I was there for 10 years but for many of these years I was not paid as a teacher, despite having an Masters degree and many years of experience.
I put up with this because I loved the young people and it gave me a sense of purpose but years o f discrimation had detrimental effects on my mental and physical health. So I therefore went part time first and picked up some freelance work as I am also a qualified careers advisor.
Over the last couple of years at the school I got more and more work and had to work in more and more inaccessible places. I knew I didn’t fit in and wasn’t going to be appreciated. Act for Action was already set up in late 2018 and at the beginning of 2020 I knew I had to get out for my mental and physical health.
Being self employed in an accessible building with my ally of a business partner and my tribe I don’t feel disabled. As my physical disability and wheelchair doesn’t disable me but societal attitudes, built environment, prejudice and discrimination do. I will never work for any one else again and many many disabled people feel the same especially those born with a physical impairment. And those who have the determination, stamina, resilience and a big dose of luck and family and friend support decide that societal barriers stop them from being employed and decide they need to work for themselves.