James Elder-Woodward
Convenor of the Scottish Personal Assistant Employers Network and Vice-Convenor of the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living.

Born with cerebral palsy, James Elder-Woodward has had life-long experience of disability, not only as a health and social service user, but also as a service provider, planner and researcher.

After taking a degree in psychology, he studied health and social welfare in Sweden, Germany, Israel and Albania. In the UK he has worked for central government, local authorities, the health service, the voluntary sector and universities.

He retired from Glasgow City Council in 1999, where he was a Senior Social Work Officer (Physical Disability).

He is now the Vice Convenor of the Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living; the Convenor of the Scottish Personal Assistant Employers Network; a board member of Inclusion Scotland; a board member of the National Centre for Independent Living; a member of Scope's Ezone; and Chair of Scope's IL zone; and a member of the European Disability Forum's Independent Living Task Force

He has written a number of articles and papers on disability and independent living, including co-authoring a book for social care workers on the subjects.

He lives with his wife and their dog close to Loch Lomond, Scotland.