Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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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.
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.
Healthcare for men and women with learning disabilities: understanding inequalities in access
- Author:
- REDLEY Marcus
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 27(6), 2012, pp.747-759.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Healthcare for people with learning disabilities has risen up the political agenda in the United Kingdom. Mencap’s report ‘Death by Indifference’ followed by the Michaels’s report ‘Healthcare for All’ and the Ombudsman’s report ‘Six Lives’ have all raised concerns over the quality of healthcare received by people with learning disabilities. This has resulted in renewed efforts, set out in the Government’s strategy paper ‘Valuing People Now’, to ensure that people with learning disabilities receive the healthcare they are entitled to. This paper describes the challenges of providing healthcare to men and women with learning disabilities and reviews ‘Death by Indifference’ and the reports produced in its aftermath. It also presents findings from a small-scale study of access to healthcare undertaken in the East of England. Ten research participants were recruited from each of the following occupations: managers of residential accommodation; GPs; learning disability nurses; and care managers. In addition, 4 Vulnerable Patient Leads were recruited from 4 general hospitals. The research participants were interviewed using a semi-structured interview schedule. The findings show that access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities is crucially dependent upon support from family carers and professionals in health and social care. The paper concludes with a discussion of whether the policies in ‘Valuing People Now’ will improve healthcare for people with learning disabilities.
Statutory guidance for local authorities on services and activities to improve young people's well-being
- Authors:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department for Education, GREAT BRITAIN. Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department for Education
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 3
- Place of publication:
- London
Statutory guidance for local authorities in England on their responsibilities to provide appropriate local youth services to improve young people’s well-being. The guidance covers the rationale and scope of the duty and relates to services and activities for young people aged 13 to 19, and those with learning difficulties to age 24. (Edited publisher abstract)
Support and services for individuals with intellectual disabilities whose behaviour is described as challenging, and the impact of recent inquiries
- Author:
- COOPER Vivien
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 6(5), 2012, pp.229-235.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
An overview of recent high-profile exposures of abusive practices in services to people with intellectual disabilities and resulting inquiries, reviews and reports is provided in this paper. It describes the history of scandals exposing abuse of individuals with intellectual disabilities, and reviews investigations and inquiries, including action undertaken following Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed, a 2011 BBC panorama programme about abuse of individuals with intellectual disabilities at the Winterbourne View private hospital. It considers the common themes and recommendations from the reports and discusses what the exposures and inquiries reveal about support and services for people with intellectual disabilities whose behaviour challenges services. The author, who is Chief Executive of the Challenging Behaviour Foundation UK, suggests what needs to happen to ensure that recommendations translate into action and deliver better outcomes for individuals.
Mental health nursing of adults with learning disabilities: RCN guidance
- Author:
- ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSING
- Publisher:
- Royal College of Nursing
- Publication year:
- 2012
- Pagination:
- 44p.
- Place of publication:
- London
This publication provides guidance for nurses and nursing students in mental health services in delivering high quality health care to people with learning disabilities. It is recognised that people with learning disabilities demonstrate the complete spectrum of mental health problems, with higher prevalence than found in those without learning disabilities. This publication aims to describe how to work in partnership with people with learning disabilities in their mental health care and to personalise their services. An overview of government policy and the law about learning disabilities in each of the 4 UK countries is provided. The publication then describes how mental health problems may present in people with learning disabilities, how to adapt mental health assessments to meet the needs of adults with learning disabilities, and the interventions that can be used. The vulnerability of people with learning disabilities to mental health problems is highlighted. In addition, specialist services which can provide additional support for adults with learning disabilities and how these can be accessed are described. Examples of good practice and partnership working are provided.
England and Northern Ireland policy and law update relating to mental health and intellectual disability
- Authors:
- CHAPLIN Eddie, TAGGART Laurence
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 6(3), 2012, pp.144-150.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Two years ago this journal presented overviews and perspectives from across the UK relating to mental health and intellectual disability. This article aims to bring readers up to date with policy developments and current issues in England and Northern Ireland. As well as looking at changes to policy and legislation, the paper highlights the differences and shared concerns for people with intellectual disability living in the two countries, for example access to equitable health care. The review found that, in spite of shared visions of inclusion and equality in mental health care, there are major differences in how the countries approach these issues. This has been emphasised by recent shifts in policy. In Northern Ireland strategies are being designed to inform the delivery of evidence based services for the future while in England there has also been a move towards public protection within mental health legislation and the reaffirmation of the need to for more individualised services. It is concluded that although there is a desire for change, the reality is that the policies and legislation introduced to address issues such as accessing mental health care and service standards have still to make a significant impact to people's daily lives.
Supporting aspirations - or not? Recent reforms on equality, the green paper on Special Educational Needs and the potential of a neurodiversity spectrum statement
- Authors:
- MACKENZIE Robin, WATTS John, HOWE Lati
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 17(1), 2012, pp.36-48.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The purpose of this paper is to review current legal and policy initiatives focused on special educational needs and equality in England. It discusses issues concerning inclusion of children with special educational needs into mainstream education, and includes contributions from parents about their experience concerning inclusion and statements of special educational needs. It then comments on plans for reform set out in the 2011 Department of Education green paper on special educational needs, covering changes directly affecting schools and pupils with special educational needs, quality of education, and responses to the proposals. It also discusses the potential contribution of a neurodiversity spectrum statement to assess a wide range of characteristics, arguing that this would lead to a holistic approach to assessing differences in learning styles, thinking, communication and behaviour, and adapting teaching to suit these differences.