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Woman's Hour: Disabled children and exercise, Women escaping domestic abuse, and 'rent farming', Whistler's Woman in White

21/02/2022

Disabled children and exercise, Women escaping domestic abuse, and 'rent farming', Whistler's Woman in White

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, Disabled children and exercise, Women escaping domestic abuse, and 'rent farming', Whistler's Woman in White

First ever guidelines on physical activity published for disabled children & young people.

Disabled children and their families help to develop new advice on physical activity guidelines from UK's chief medical officers.

Today Woman's Hour has an exclusive investigation into the women who have survived domestic violence but are being exploited a second time by ‘rent farming’. These women, trapped in what is known as 'exempt accommodation' after fleeing abuse, say they often come out more traumatised than when they moved in. We reveal the legal loopholes which allow landlords to receive  higher - enhanced - housing benefit, which  they're meant to spend on wrap around support to get tenants' lives back on track. But many don’t and are accused of financially ‘gaming the system’.

Later this week the Royal Academy is opening an exhibition called Whistler’s Woman in White: Joanna Hiffernan. Very little is known about Joanna, she was an Irish model who became Whistler’s confidante and muse for at least two decades. But Professor Margaret MacDonald from Glasgow University, who is the curator of the exhibition,  has been trawling through the archives for decades, to find out all she can about her; shining a light on Joanna's partnership with Whistler and the iconic paintings she inspired.

Last week the UK's Chief Medical Officers published their first ever guidelines on physical activity for disabled children and young people. They suggest 20 minutes of exercise per day and balance activities 3 times a week. An infographic of the advice was created with the help of disabled children and their families. We speak to two mums, Tina and Carly, about the importance of the advice and how their sons were involved in the making of the infographic. 

Presenter: Emma Barnett
Producer: Kirsty Starkey

Interviewed Guest: Nicole Jacobs
Interviewed Guest: Professor Margaret MacDonald

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Disabled children and exercise, Women escaping domestic abuse, and 'rent farming', Whistler's Woman in White

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