Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Experiences of leaving prison for people with intellectual disability
- Author:
- ELLEM Kathy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 3(3), 2012, pp.127-138.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Without adequate supports, people with intellectual disability leaving prison are likely to reoffend. The aim of this paper was to examine the community re-entry experiences of 10 people with an intellectual disability. The findings are drawn from a wider study of prison experiences of people with an intellectual disability in Queensland, Australia. Life stories were developed from in-depth interviews with 10 ex-prisoners (7 male and 3 female) with intellectual disability. Interviews were respectful of the communication styles of participants and involved multiple interview sessions, ranging from 2 to 9 interviews per person. Data were analysed using narrative and thematic analysis. The findings showed that the participants found the process of leaving prison an emotional event, often clouded both with confusion about when release was to occur and uncertainly as to what they could expect on the outside. Their stories highlighted how poorly divergent service models such as corrective services, disability services and mental health services respond to this group, and worked in collaboration to address their complex needs. The findings indicate a vital need for resources for ex-prisoners with intellectual disability for concrete information and coordinated hands-on assistance in negotiating supports in the community.
Staff characteristics and attitudes towards the sexuality of people with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- MEANEY-TAVARES Rebecca, GAVIDIA-PAYNE Susana
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(3), September 2012, pp.269-273.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
People with learning disabilities often experience difficulties in correctly interpreting behavioural cues which may have detrimental outcomes with respect to their expression of sexuality. The identification of individual staff characteristics that have a relationship with specific attitudes of staff caring for people with learning disabilities may enable targeted training and better support. In this study, 66 participants from services for people with learning disabilities in metropolitan Melbourne, Australia, completed a survey, including the Attitudes to Sexuality Questionnaire. Findings revealed that staff attitudes towards the sexuality of people with learning disabilities were quite positive. Age, programme agency position, and training uptake were all associated with positive staff attitudes. The authors concluded that targeted training programmes in sexuality can benefit direct care workers in general and older staff more specifically. Implications for training and practice are discussed.
Context influences the motivation for stereotypic and repetitive behaviour in children diagnosed with intellectual disability with and without autism
- Authors:
- JOOSTEN Annette V., BUNDY Anita C., EINFELD Stewart L.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 25(3), May 2012, pp.262-270.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Stereotypical and repetitive behaviours are part of normal child development. However while they diminish during the second year in typically developing children they often continue in those with intellectual disability and autism. Motivation seems to change with context, but there is little empirical evidence to support this. Data describing stereotypic behaviours from 279 Revised Motivation Assessment Scales (MAS:R) was evaluated using Rasch analysis. Data were gathered from two groups of Australian children (mean age 9.7 years): Group 1 with intellectual disability (n = 37) and Group 2 with both intellectual disability and autism (n = 37). Behaviour was examined in three contexts: free time, transition and while engaged in tasks. MAS:R distinguishes two intrinsic motivators: enhanced sensation and decreased anxiety and three extrinsic motivators: seeking attention or objects or escape. Significant differences in motivators were observed during free time and transition. No one motivator predominated while children were engaged in tasks. For both groups, sensory enhancement was a more likely motivator in free time and anxiety reduction was a more likely motivator during transition. Transition was the context most likely to influence extrinsic motivators, but there were significant differences between the groups. The authors conclude that context influences the motivation for stereotyped and repetitive behaviours; transition appears to have a particularly powerful effect.
‘Some kids climb up; some kids climb down’: culturally constructed play-worlds of children with impairments
- Author:
- BURKE Jenene
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 27(7), 2012, pp.965-981.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
In this paper, the author explores how children with impairments can act as self-monitoring, autonomous individuals in their play in a community playground. In addition, the notion of children with impairments as creative agents in their play is examined. The evidence presented in this paper is derived from the views and perspectives of children with impairments as playground users. Seventy-two participant children completed the participatory photographic project and compiled personal photographic scrapbooks from their own photographs taken in the naturalistic setting of a community playground in Australia. The participants were all 6–10 years old; 35 were classified as having an impairment and 37 as not having an impairment. Data was collected from the children’s photographic scrapbooks and the researcher’s own observations of children’s play in a naturalistic playground setting. The insights provided by the children showed that they were able to make choices, and experience enjoyment through self-selected play experiences. In attempting to determine whether children with impairments are disabled in a social sense in playgrounds, the evidence suggest that they are not socially disabled.
Restriction on restraints in the care for people with intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands: lessons learned from Australia, UK, and United States
- Authors:
- ROMIJN Anita, FREDERIKS Brenda J.M.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(2), June 2012, pp.127-133.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The use of restraints in the care of people with intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands is regulated by the Psychiatric Hospitals Act. Physical or mechanical interventions may be used to avert aggression and danger to a client or his surroundings. The issue of restrictive practices has attracted considerable attention following a television documentary which revealed excessive use of mechanical restraints on an 18-year old youth. The aim of this article was to provide insight into legislation, protocols, and practices in other countries so as to make recommendations for policy on reducing the use of restraints in the Netherlands. Journal articles and policy reports on national policies and practices for the years 2000-11 were analysed for 3 countries: the United Kingdom, United States, and Australia. The findings showed that, although the use of restraints in the care for people with intellectual disabilities is internationally regulated by the criterion of ultimum remedium, policy is clearly not always in line with practice. Common elements in best practices designed to reduce the use of restraints include: strong leadership in care facilities based on national policy; trained staff; a strict monitoring system; and changes in attitudes on the use of restraints, with restraints being identified as treatment failure.
Mothering differently: narratives of mothers with intellectual disability whose children have been compulsorily removed
- Authors:
- MAYES Rachel, LLEWELLYN Gwynnyth
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(2), June 2012, pp.121-130.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
In Australia parents with intellectual disability are significantly more likely to have their children removed than parents with other disabilities. This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the daily life narratives of 7 mothers with intellectual disability following the involuntary removal of their children. Participants were recruited through a family support service for parents with intellectual disability whose children had been removed through statutory child protection proceedings. Narratives were gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews about experiences prior to and following removal of the child or children. The 7 mothers had experienced child removal on 14 separate occasions. The article reports on the multiple and varied stories of the mothers, with illustrative examples from the interviews, covering the 3 distinct narratives identified: "living as the mother I am", "living as the mother I should be", and "not feeling like a mother any more". The authors discuss the findings and their implications
Competencies of front-line managers in supported accommodation: issues for practice and future research
- Authors:
- CLEMENT Tim, BIGBY Christine
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(2), June 2012, pp.131-140.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The Department of Human Services in Victoria, Australia, manages over 500 group homes, including supported accommodation for people with intellectual disability. As part of a larger research project investigating outcomes in these group homes, this project used a list of 142 competencies for house supervisors or front-line managers in group homes (which had been identified in a research study in Minnesota) as a basis for reviewing what should be expected of the equivalent position in Victoria. The competency statements, adapted and reworded to reflect the local context and terminology, were used as the foundation for semi-structured interviews with a sample of 16 highly performing house supervisors and 5 senior managers which explored their perceptions about their roles. The article describes the analysis of the transcribed interviews, with examples from the interviews, and discusses the emergent findings. It highlights the importance of house supervisors' "orientations" (passion and dedication, stamina and flexibility, calmness, tolerance or liking for a degree of freedom, and perceptions of work-life balance).
An assessment of policies guiding school emergency disaster management for students with disabilities in Australia
- Authors:
- BOON Helen Joanna, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 9(1), March 2012, pp.17-26.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Weather-related disasters in Australia may increase in frequency and severity as a result of predicted climate variability. However, there is a lack of literature regarding school emergency response planning for vulnerable students with disabilities. This study explored the literature in place, with a view to making future recommendations for disaster management. The study's results indicate that disaster preparedness is under-resourced and insufficient consideration has been given to the emergency preparedness planning and management with respect to meeting needs of vulnerable students with disabilities. Although the particular needs of vulnerable students with disabilities are briefly noted in the various state governments' education policies, they have not been systematically considered in the context of overall disaster planning for Australian schools. The authors concluded that education authorities review current emergency management policies in a consultative manner as to minimise risk for students with disabilities in natural disaster emergencies.
Active ageing among older adults with lifelong intellectual disabilities: the role of familial and nonfamilial social networks
- Authors:
- BUYS Laurie, AIRD Rosemary, MILLER Evonne
- Journal article citation:
- Families in Society, 93(1), January 2012, pp.55-64.
- Publisher:
- The Alliance for Children and Families
To date, there has been little research exploring the extent to which active ageing is facilitated by family and nonfamilial support persons of older adults with intellectual disabilities. This study investigated the role played by key unpaid carers of older adults with lifelong intellectual disabilities in facilitating “active ageing”. Disability service providers in Queensland and Victoria, Australia, were asked to identify service users who met the participation criteria (being over 50 and able to verbally communicate). Sixteen individuals were included in the study. Family and extended family members were found to play a crucial role in facilitating independent living and providing opportunities for recreational pursuits for those living in group homes. Members of religious organisations and group home staff provided the same types of opportunities where family support was absent. The findings highlighted the need for improvements in resource provision, staff training, and group home policy and building design.
The availability of normative data for the Developmental Behaviour Checklist for Adults
- Authors:
- MOHR Caroline, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 37(1), March 2012, pp.61-64.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The Developmental Behaviour Checklist (DBC) is a teacher and carer-completed screening checklist of emotional and behavioural disturbance which is available in several forms which cater for all age levels of people with intellectual disability and developmental disorders. An important component of checklist development is the provision of standardised normative data that can be used by clinicians, researchers, and service providers. The purpose of this article is to alert readers to the availability of new normative data for the adult version of the DBC (DBC-A). This data was obtained from the use of the DBC-A in a large-scale Australian study of emotional and behavioural disturbance. The population sample for this study comprised 1,538 adults aged 18 to 85 years of which 35.0% had mild intellectual disability, 29.5% had moderate intellectual disability, and 35.6% had severe intellectual disability. Normative data for the DBC-A is available for 3 age groups and 3 levels of intellectual disability. A condensed version of DBC-A normative data is presented in the article, and more detailed information can be obtained from the authors.