Enable Scotland
Corporate brand
UnclaimedEnable Scotland is a member-led Scottish charity supporting people with learning disabilities and their families through advocacy, campaigning and personalised services.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Enable Scotland is a member-led charitable organisation based in Scotland that supports people with learning disabilities and their families. Its work combines direct assistance with public campaigning and advocacy for equal rights. The organisation addresses practical and social barriers that can affect the lives of people with learning disabilities, including access to employment, transportation, family support and financial assistance. The movement that eventually became Enable Scotland began with parents seeking better services for children with learning disabilities. On 28 February 1944, five parents met in a Scottish living room to discuss creating an organisation that could campaign for improved provision for children and their families. A subsequent meeting at Glasgow education offices attracted more than 350 people from across Scotland, demonstrating substantial demand for a coordinated support and advocacy body. The founding group included Catherine Shapter and the physicists Joan Curran and Samuel Curran. The organisation was formally founded in 1954. It initially operated under names including the Scottish Society for the Parents of Mentally Handicapped Children and the Scottish Society for the Mentally Handicapped, before becoming known as Enable Scotland. The change in public identity reflects the organisation's development from a parent-led support movement into a broader member-led charity working with people with learning disabilities, families and supporters. Enable Scotland's activities extend beyond service provision. It campaigns for equal rights and greater inclusion, seeks to draw public attention to the challenges faced by people with learning disabilities and their families, and provides personalised assistance with issues arising in everyday life. Its campaigns have included work related to employment, transport and the experiences of older carers supporting disabled children. The organisation also runs the Scotland Employers Award, linking its equality and inclusion mission with recognition of employers. The charity has received public attention for both its campaigning and its governance. In 2007, an advertising campaign that compared people with learning disabilities to pets generated media coverage. In November 2011, the loss of personal data relating to 101 people led to criticism of the organisation's data-handling practices. Enable Scotland subsequently committed to improving its practices in this area. Theresa Shearer FRSE is identified as the charity's chief executive. Enable Scotland remains an active Scottish organisation whose identity is closely associated with disability rights, family support, personalised assistance and campaigning for social equality.
History
Enable Scotland developed from a parent-led effort to secure better services for children with learning disabilities in Scotland. The movement's origins are traced to 28 February 1944, when five parents met in a Scottish living room to discuss forming an organisation that could campaign for services benefiting children with learning disabilities and their parents. A later meeting at education offices in Glasgow drew more than 350 attendees from across Scotland, indicating the scale of concern and interest in coordinated action. Among the founding members were Catherine Shapter and the physicists Joan Curran and Samuel Curran. The organisation was founded in 1954. In its earlier history it used names such as the Scottish Society for the Parents of Mentally Handicapped Children and the Scottish Society for the Mentally Handicapped. It later adopted the name Enable Scotland, presenting itself as a broader member-led charity supporting people with learning disabilities and their families. Its remit combines rights-based campaigning with practical support. Enable Scotland advocates equal rights for people with learning disabilities and provides personalised services addressing problems that may arise in daily life. These areas include employment access, transportation, family support and financial help. The organisation's work therefore spans individual assistance, family and carer support, public awareness and policy-oriented advocacy. Enable Scotland also operates the Scotland Employers Award, connecting its work on equality and inclusion with recognition of employers. Its campaigns have periodically brought disability and caring issues into public discussion. In 2007, an advertising campaign comparing people with learning disabilities to pets received media attention. The organisation was also covered by STV News for a campaign focusing on the difficulties faced by elderly carers of disabled children. Governance and information handling became a subject of criticism after personal data relating to 101 people was lost in November 2011. Enable Scotland subsequently stated its commitment to improving its data-handling practices. Theresa Shearer FRSE is identified as the current chief executive. The organisation remains active in Scotland as a charity focused on learning-disability support, family assistance, equal rights and inclusion.
- 2011
Personal-data loss prompts criticism
[1]The loss of personal data concerning 101 people led to criticism and a commitment by the charity to strengthen its data-handling practices.
- 2007
Advertising campaign receives media attention
[1]An advertising campaign comparing people with learning disabilities to pets generated public and media attention.
- 1954
Enable Scotland is founded
[1]The organisation was formally founded to support children with learning disabilities and their families and to campaign for improved services.
- 1944
Parents begin organising for better services
[1]On 28 February, five parents met to discuss creating an organisation to campaign for services for children with learning disabilities and their parents.
- 1944
Founding meeting attracts more than 350 people
[1]A meeting held at education offices in Glasgow drew more than 350 people from across Scotland.
Products and positioning
A member-led Scottish disability-rights charity combining personalised support services with campaigning, advocacy and family assistance.
Disability support
Personalised support services
Enable Scotland provides personalised assistance for people with learning disabilities, addressing practical and social problems that may affect everyday life. The documented areas of support include access to employment, transportation, family assistance and financial matters.
Family support
Family and carer support
The charity supports families of people with learning disabilities and campaigns on issues affecting carers. Its public work has included highlighting the particular difficulties experienced by elderly carers of disabled children.
Employer recognition
Scotland Employers Award
The Scotland Employers Award is an Enable Scotland initiative that recognises employers in connection with equality and inclusion. It reflects the organisation's interest in improving employment opportunities and participation for people with learning disabilities.
Controversies
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Learning-disability advertising campaign
Scotland
An advertising campaign used a comparison between people with learning disabilities and pets to draw attention to disability-related issues. The campaign received media attention.
Outcome. The documented outcome was public and media attention; further outcome information is not specified.
- Elderly carers of disabled children campaign
Scotland
A campaign highlighted the difficulties faced by elderly people caring for disabled children and was covered by STV News.
Outcome. The campaign received television news coverage.
Brand decisions
2011
Commitment to improve data-handling practicesOtherBackground
The organisation faced criticism after personal data relating to 101 people was lost.
Action taken
Enable Scotland committed to improving its practices for handling personal data.
Aftermath
The documented response was a stated commitment to strengthen data-handling practices; no further verified details are provided.
Sources2 sources
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