The Mencap Getting it Right campaign was launched some time ago in recognition that people with a learning disability were getting a raw deal from the NHS, with unequal access to treatments and reports of poor care. A range of reasons may lie behind this poor response, including inadequate training, lack of support, lack of knowledge [read the full story…]
Staff working with people with complex needs relating to challenging behaviours or mental health needs will be dealing with a range of emotions on a daily basis. The authors of this qualitative study were interested to explore how staff dealt with these and what implications this might have for the organisation employing them. They worked [read the full story…]
Foetal alcohol syndrome, a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by the use of alcohol during pregnancy. FAS Aware UK� points out that there is are varying estimates of the prevalence of the disorder, but is thought to have a prevalence of around 1 in 1000. The researchers in this study were interested in finding out about the [read the full story…]
A few years ago, the older family carers initiative, run by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities published a series of reports and some excellent guidelines on providing support to help inform not only practitioners, but commissioners and of course older family carers themselves of their rights and the kind of support they could might [read the full story…]
Previous studies have suggested that the use of personal narratives can be useful for victims of sexual abuse in the process of enabling them to overcome their trauma. The authors of this small study in the Netherlands start with the view that it is possible for counsellors to help victims with learning disabilities to co-construct [read the full story…]
We have posted previously on these pages about the barriers that people with learning disabilities face as parents. We have also though pointed to the evidence that suggests that timely and appropriate support can help parents to provide a loving environment for their child. The authors of this Australian study point out that mothers with [read the full story…]
Setting clear goals that stretch but are achievable and measurable is a key skill in bringing about change. The researchers in this Australian study were interested in how parents and people with learning disabilities experienced using the Family Goal Setting Tool, which aims to support people and their families to identify targets for change. The [read the full story…]
A US review in 2009 suggested that the evidence on the rates of sex offending by people with learning disabilities was equivocal at best with some studies reporting an increased likelihood of people with learning disabilities committing sexual offences, with others suggesting the opposite to be the case. There are difficulties in answering the question [read the full story…]
Sexuality in adults with learning disabilities is a subject that has only relatively recently been tackled in the literature. The researchers in this study were interested in sexuality in adolescents, and wanted to look at the attitudes and behaviours of mothers of adolescents and consider whether or not the presence of learning disability might affect [read the full story…]
In 2006, the Department of Health produced a report called ‘Let Me I’m a Researcher’, which was designed to inform the debate about best practice in working with people with disabilities to co-produce topic areas, aims, objectives and approaches in research that involved them. Involving people with learning disabilities in the production and delivery of research [read the full story…]
