Alex Leeder

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Alex completed an undergraduate degree in law at Keele University before completing the Legal Practice Course at Aberystwyth University. Alex went on to work for a rehabilitation team before completing the MA Social Work at the University of Worcester. Alex is now a qualified social worker having completed his Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE), working in a Community Learning Disabilities multi-disciplinary team. He has a broad range of related interests including learning disability and dementia, mental capacity and best interest decision-making, and dual diagnosis. Alex is contributing to the MA Social Work at the University of Worcester in 2015 and remains interested in the promotion of social work values, practice approaches and supporting students in practice.

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A Suitable Person: An insider perspective finds conflict between parent-carers and practitioners

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Earlier this year, we posted about a study which showed positive outcomes being achieved by suitable persons for individuals lacking capacity to consent to direct payments.

Here Alex Leeder, who blogged about this study, looks at the views of parent-carers who have fulfilled the role of ‘suitable person’ – an ‘insider’ perspective.

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Seclusion and restraint in disability services influenced by both individual and organisational factors

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Seclusion, whilst still in use in disability services can be considered at odds with the person-centred values underpinning modern services

Here, Alex Leeder looks at a review of its use in Victoria, Australia, to try to find what factors are associated with its ongoing use.

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Direct Payments: Are they working well for people with learning disabilities or dementia who lack mental capacity to consent?

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Alex Leeder looks at the experiences of using ‘indirect’ payments in a qualitative study of the experiences of practitioners and ‘suitable’ people.

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Self-concept amongst adults with mild learning disabilities is good, but can be strengthened with practitioner support

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A positive self concept has been associated with psychological well-being, peer acceptance and self-confidence, but how do people with mild learning disabilities view themselves?

In this, his debut blog, Alex Leeder looks at a qualitative study that set out to provide us with a deeper understanding of how adults with learning disabilities think about themselves and how practitioners could help them to think about this more positively.

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