Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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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.
More than just telling stories
- Author:
- COSH Jackie
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, 15(5), September/October 2015, pp.16-17.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
The Bags of Ability project provides free training and workshops to parents and professionals, teaching them to engage all the senses when telling stories to children with learning disabilities. Involving additional sensory stimulation can help children with learning disabilities to learn more about the world around them and interact better with others. To date over 500 parents and 340 professionals have attended the courses, and reported that they are telling stories more frequently. An external evaluation also found that professional rated their awareness of communication methods for children as good or above increased after the training from 37% to 86% after the training. (Edited publisher abstract)
Communicating effectively with people with a learning disability
- Author:
- THURMAN Sue
- Publisher:
- Learning Matters; British Institute of Learning Disabilities
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 61p.
- Place of publication:
- Exeter
This practical textbook is aimed at social care staff working with people with learning disabilities to help them communicate effectively. It is particularly relevant for those new to working with people with learning disabilities, those studying for a qualification, or managers with a training responsibility. Chapters cover: Understanding why effective communication is important in the work setting; Meeting the communication and language needs, wishes and preferences of individuals; Overcoming barriers to communication; and Confidentiality. Each chapter begins with a story from a service user or care worker and on outline of the chapters key learning objectives. Chapters also contain thinking points to aid reflective practice, examples of good practice, and activities. The text book covers material to support Level 2 and 3 Diplomas in Health and Social Care and the Common Induction Standard on Communicating effectively.
Sharing the focus: engaging with support workers to include people with communication needs in research
- Authors:
- LUTZ Deborah, FISHER Karen R., ROBINSON Sally
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 44(2), 2016, p.138–145.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Inclusive research is an increasing expectation to value and include people's voice in research and evaluations intended to benefit them. The active participation of people with communication support needs can be difficult due to the practical constraints of evaluations. One technique is to engage with workers who are familiar with the person, but this introduces risks, such as substituting voice and conflict of interests. The authors examine the effectiveness of this technique in ethnographic interviews by applying Nind's framework of core ideas in inclusive research (disrupting hierarchy; maximising participation and competence; enhancing authenticity; empowerment; accessibility, authorship and readership; and ethical considerations) to an evaluation of Australian disability services. The authors found that where support workers had a trusted relationship with the person, they could help them to choose to participate, consent and communicate their views. Disrespectful relationships introduced ethical risks during and after the interviews, which needed to be anticipated and safeguarded against. (Edited publisher abstract)
Systemic empathy with adults affected by intellectual disabilities and their families
- Authors:
- WEBB-PEPLOE Hilly, FREDMAN Glenda
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Therapy, 37(2), 2015, pp.228-245.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article explores how therapists might bring forth and value the voice of the person with intellectual disabilities alongside the voice of their family and carers so that all those present can feel understood and appreciated. The authors offer a description of systemic empathy as the ability to connect with one person while maintaining the possibility of connecting with other individuals in the system and at the same time tuning in to those people's connections with each other. Examples from practice are shared that challenge the ability to work empathically when there are several people in the same room holding different or opposing perspectives and who evoke different emotional reactions in practitioners. Principles and practices are offered through which they have been able to make empathy systemic with examples from their work with adults with intellectual disabilities and their families. These include empathising through curiosity and irreverence, co-creating meanings with more than one person, double listening with ears, eyes and bodies, preparing our own emotional postures, taking the perspectives of others and creating reflecting processes. (Edited publisher abstract)
It's good to talk: developing the communication skills of an adult with an intellectual disability through augmentative and alternative communication
- Authors:
- HAGAN Leigh, THOMPSON Helen
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42(1), 2014, pp.66-73.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems have been repeatedly identified as a means of improving an individual's communication abilities and their ability to participate in interactions. However, existing literature indicates that dynamic display speech generating devices (SGDs) are not commonly introduced for adults with moderate intellectual disabilities (ID). This case study reports the impact of using an SGD on the communication abilities of a nonverbal individual with a moderate ID. Clinical assessment and therapy outcome measures include semi-structured interviews with staff and communication dyad analyses. These measures were conducted before and after collaborative intervention from speech and language therapy and behaviour support. Findings from the study reveal that when using an SGD the individual experienced improvements in expressive communication abilities and pragmatic skills including topic maintenance, taking conversational turns and reduced communication breakdown. The clinical implications of this intervention are discussed. (Edited publisher abstract)
Communication and consultation with children and young people with learning disabilities: Bridges Resource Centre
- Author:
- OFSTED
- Publisher:
- OFSTED
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 3p.
- Place of publication:
- Manchester
A description of good practice from the Bridges Resource Centre, a respite care centre near Wokingham, which demonstrates flexible and effective approaches in relation to communicating and consulting with children and young people with learning disabilities and a complex mixture of communication difficulties. A recent extension of the centre prompted the consultation to ensure the children and young people were able to have their say.
‘I want to be listened to’: systemic psychotherapy with a man with intellectual disabilities and his paid supporters
- Authors:
- HAYDON-LAURELUT Mark, NUNKOOSING Karl
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Family Therapy, 32(1), February 2010, pp.73-86.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper contends that the systemic approach can be useful in working with adults with intellectual disabilities and their relational network, including paid care services. A practice example using a systemic approach with a man with intellectual disabilities and his paid supporters showed a movement from an internal description of the problem as existing in the man with intellectual disabilities to a focus on coordinating the relationship between the man and his paid supporters. More specifically, in this example the man with intellectual disabilities stated that he wished to be listened to. This led to the residential service manager accounting for her service’s support and to service change which focused more on the care relationship and to improved practices of listening. This article concludes by saying that, although this is not a new process, it would seem to be of noteworthy utility in the context of working with those who live and work in services for people with intellectual disabilities and who may not have had access to this kind of conversation in the past.
Supporting people with learning disabilities in health and social care
- Author:
- BROUSSINE Eric
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Publication year:
- 2011
- Pagination:
- 232p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This text book aims to provide students and professionals working with people with learning disabilities in primary, secondary and specialist healthcare settings, with the knowledge and skills they need for effective practice. The chapters, which are each written by leading academics and practitioners in their field, examine core issues. A multi-professional, case-study approach consolidates the theory and this practical approach is reinforced by the inclusion of service-user and practitioner 'voices'. Reflective exercises and opportunities for self-audit of learning are included throughout. Chapters include: the history and context of learning disability, families' perspectives; enabling people with learning disabilities to be valued citizens; empowered and/or vulnerable?; living with a learning disability; enabling families; building positive relationships with people with learning disabilities; promoting effective communication; health and well-being; meeting specific health needs of people with learning disabilities; meeting the mental health needs of people with learning disabilities; people with learning disabilities in the criminal justice system; professional practice and people with learning disabilities; and improving practice.