Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Helping to keep safe
- Authors:
- CRONIN Peter, PEYTON Liam
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 6(6), 2012, pp.291-292.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This short paper considers risk from the perspective of people with learning disabilities. The two men narrating their experiences are members of a London-based Tuesday Group which helps people understand about good mental health and staying well. They are both independent but do need some outreach support. The paper explores issues around the risk of unwanted attention and keeping safe when going and how being members of this group has supported them in managing the risks they might face.
Narrative accounts of university education: socio-cultural perspectives of students with disabilities
- Author:
- GIBSON Suanne
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 27(3), May 2012, pp.353-369.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Research in higher education suggests the need for educationalists to show greater understanding and awareness of the lived experiences of undergraduate students with disabilities. It is argued that this knowledge should then be used to inform their understandings as tutors and facilitate inclusive and effective teaching strategies. This research focused on five first-year students with disabilities’ learning experiences; their transitions from school or college to university and their feedback on positive and negative learning experiences at both levels. Rich stories were uncovered taking the research beyond the lecture theatre and seminar room, into the students’ union bar and back to the Year 10 classroom. This paper tells some of the stories shared, in particular drawing out findings related to effective learning practices, and notes the significance of placing a socio-cultural lens on the question of inclusion in education.
The Stage Life: promoting the inclusion of young people through participatory arts
- Authors:
- STICKLEY Theodore, CROSBIE Brian, HUI Ada
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 40(4), December 2012, pp.251-258.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article discusses the “Stage Life” participatory arts programme for people attending a day services provision in Nottinghamshire. It was provided in a local disused cinema acquired by the local authority for community-based activities amongst disadvantaged groups. The Stage Life aimed to build the community arts capacity for young adults with learning disabilities by introducing approximately fifty people to participatory arts activities over a period of 2 years. A multimethod ethnographic approach was used to phenomenologically capture the impact of the Stage Life upon individuals’ lives, as well as capture people’s opinions and ideas regarding taking part in the activities. The research describes the effects upon people who were engaged with the programme. Positive benefits are reported both on a personal and on a social level. The authors concluded that joining in with arts activities helped people with learning disabilities to feel a part of the community.
A helping hand
- Author:
- PENFOLD Julie
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, December 2012, pp.12-13.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
Inequalities in the standard of healthcare for people with learning disabilities (LD) has been an issue in hospitals for some time, but hospitals in West Sussex are addressing this with recent developments. For example, a computer-based tracking system enables patients with LD to receive specialist support based on their care needs – when a person with LD arrives at the hospital, they are immediately flagged on the system to alert a team of specialist nurses. Additionally, a six page ‘passport’ provides essential information about the person with LD, usually completed by the patient’s carer, and advises hospital staff on all matters regarding the persons health.
Exploring the reliability and validity of the Social–Moral Awareness Test
- Authors:
- LIVERSEY Alexandra, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 25(6), November 2012, pp.553-570.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
People with learning disabilities may face significant difficulties integrating into community settings. One reason may be that individual may not understand the complexities of human behaviour and intentions and thus find themselves open to exploitation or in vulnerable social situations. The aim of this paper is to introduce the social–moral awareness test (SMAT), a measure designed for assessing socio-moral rule knowledge and reasoning in people with learning disabilities, and to provide preliminary evidence of its reliability and validity. Seventy-one participants with mild–moderate learning disabilities completed the 2 scales of the SMAT and 2 False Belief Tasks for Theory of Mind. The findings showed that the reliability of the SMAT was very good, and that the scales were uni-dimensional in factor structure. There was a significant positive relationship between Theory of Mind and both SMAT scales. Further research is required to support these preliminary findings.
Nobody made the connection: the prevalence of neurodisability in young people who offend
- Authors:
- HUGHES Nathan, et al
- Publisher:
- Office of the Children's Commissioner
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 72p.
- Place of publication:
- London
Childhood neurodisability occurs when there is a compromise of the central or peripheral nervous system due to genetic, pre-birth or birth trauma, and/or injury or illness in childhood. This incorporates a wide range of specific neurodevelopmental disorders or conditions. This report presents a review of published evidence in relation to the following research questions: what is the prevalence of various neurodevelopmental disorders amongst young people within the youth justice system secure estate; and what are the key issues for policy and practice associated with these levels of prevalence? The review found that many young people currently in secure settings in England have undiagnosed neurodevelopmental conditions which have directly contributed to their offending behaviour. The report has several key audiences, from national government departments and bodies, to local strategic partnerships and agency leads, to practitioners working with young people with potential neurodevelopmental difficulties.
Strategic thinking
- Authors:
- DAVIES Jill, BURKE Christine
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Today, September 2012, pp.12-14.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
People with learning disabilities are more likely to develop mental health problems compared to the general population. The Government’s mental health strategy, ‘No health without mental health’ (DH, 2011), makes several references to people with learning disabilities. In particular, it highlights the importance of mental health services for people with learning disabilities and autism, the need to ensure that mainstream services are inclusive to this group, including that staff have appropriate skills and can provide reasonable adjustments to meet individual needs. The strategy also mentions the need for early intervention to prevent later problems for children with special educational needs and disabilities, including those who have underlying or associated mental health problems. In 2012, the Government issued an accompanying implementation framework that aims to translate the ideals of the strategy into concrete actions on a local level. This article discusses what the implementation framework means for people with learning disabilities. It shows that, despite the strategy highlighting the needs of people with learning disabilities, the framework offers little specifically for this group. This raises concern that this group will remain off the radar for those in mainstream services and organisations that could support them to maintain their mental health and wellbeing.
Strategic thinking
- Authors:
- DAVIES Jill, BURKE Christine
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, October 2012, pp.16-17.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
People with learning disabilities are more likely to develop mental health problems compared to the general population. The Government’s mental health strategy, ‘No health without mental health’ (DH, 2011), makes several references to people with learning disabilities. In particular, it highlights the importance of mental health services for people with learning disabilities and autism, the need to ensure that mainstream services are inclusive to this group, including that staff have appropriate skills and can provide reasonable adjustments to meet individual needs. The strategy also mentions the need for early intervention to prevent later problems for children with special educational needs and disabilities, including those who have underlying or associated mental health problems. In 2012, the Government issued an accompanying implementation framework that aims to translate the ideals of the strategy into concrete actions on a local level. This article discusses what the implementation framework means for people with learning disabilities. It shows that, despite the strategy highlighting the needs of people with learning disabilities, the framework offers little specifically for this group. This raises concern that this group will remain off the radar for those in mainstream services and organisations that could support them to maintain their mental health and wellbeing.
Police readiness for tackling hate crime against people with learning disabilities: areas for improvement and examples of good practice
- Authors:
- SIN Chih, SHIKH Sanah, KHANNA Mohini
- Journal article citation:
- Safer Communities, 11(3), 2012, pp.145-153.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
A number of high-profile cases of hate crime against people with learning disabilities have led to increasing concerns about the failure of police services to tackle the issues. This paper reports on research conducted for the ‘Stand By Me’ campaign which aimed to examine the extent to which police services are set up to deal with hate crime against people with learning disabilities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives from 14 police services in England. In addition, key documents submitted by the police services were reviewed and a focus group with 8 people with learning disabilities was conducted. The findings are discussed under the following themes: infrastructure and set-up; understanding; data recording; and reporting. The findings indicate that many police services are committed to tackling hate crime against people with learning disabilities. A variety of individuals have responsibility for dealing with hate crime and accountability structures are often unclear. Many services do not have hate crime policies that deal specifically with people with learning disabilities, or even disabled people in general. More training is required to ensure staff are equipped to deal with the issues. Hate crime statistics are regarded as unreliable due to significant under-reporting. However, a few services have implemented interventions to encourage reporting through awareness-raising and multi-agency working.
More than words
- Author:
- FRY Suzanne
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, June 2012, pp.26-27.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This article describes the journey of ‘Ben’ who contracted measles at the age of five leaving him with a damaged brain, resulting in learning difficulties. Frustrated by not being able to communicate, Ben became disruptive and unmanageable, forcing his parents to place him in a residential care home in Hampshire. Ben was taken to a speech therapist for an assessment, where he was introduced to a programme run by Lancaster University that was using a communication aid called ‘Orac’, which plays pre-recorded messages to others. This article describes how Orac has enabled Ben to live a more fulfilling life, even enabling the use of telephones to talk to his family.