Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Learning Disability Today
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
This magazine aims to promote better quality lifestyles for people with learning disabilities. Its main focus is on good practice in employment, health, leisure, education and housing. This journal is indexed and abstracted selectively on Social Care Online.
Sweden's LSS and social integration: an exploration of the relationship between personal assistant type, activities, and participation for children with PIMD
- Authors:
- BOREN Taylor, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 13(1), 2016, pp.50-60.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The Swedish personal assistance system allows children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) to receive subsidised personal assistance. This assistance may be either a hired professional from outside the family or a parent paid as a personal assistant. The authors explored whether children's personal assistant type (i.e., external or parental) is related to their presence in socially integrative activities (SIAs) versus non-socially integrative activities (NSIAs). The relationship between children's activity engagement and their personal assistant type was examined via a descriptive, comparative study based on a questionnaire. Sixty families answered, providing quantitative data about personal assistance type across 56 common family activities. Children's external assistants showed a greater presence in SIAs than children's parental assistants, who showed a greater presence in NSIAs. The level of activity engagement between personal assistant type, however, had a less direct relationship. In accordance with bio-ecological systems theory, activity selection can influence the child's cognitive and social development. Ultimately, this study suggests that external assistants partake in more SIAs than parental assistants, likely as a function of providing respite for families. This respite stems from the LSS's implicit role for external personal assistants to also serve as relief for parents. In turn, by facilitating exposure to broader systems, these external assistants can play a critical role in children's social and cognitive development. (Edited publisher abstract)
Social connections for older people with intellectual disability in Ireland: results from wave one of IDS-TILDA
- Authors:
- McCAUSLAND Darren, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 29(1), 2016, pp.71-82.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: The literature on influences of community versus congregated settings raises questions about how social inclusion can be optimised for people with intellectual disability. This study examines social contacts for older people with intellectual disability in Ireland, examining differences in social connection for adults with intellectual disability and other adults. Materials and Methods: Data were drawn from the IDS-TILDA study in Ireland. A nationally representative sample (n = 753) included adults aged 40 years and older, with additional comparison with general population participants. Predictors of social contacts were explored. Results: Residence, level of intellectual disability and age were significant factors determining social contact. People in institutional residences, older respondents and those with severe/profound intellectual disability had the lowest levels of contact; older adults with intellectual disability had much lower rates than general population counterparts. Conclusions: Community-dwelling people with intellectual disability have greater social contact than those living in institutions, but levels are below those for other adults in Ireland. (Publisher abstract)
Evaluation of the impact of supervisory support on staff experiences of training
- Authors:
- KOSKI Katja, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 19(2), 2014, pp.77-84.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the role of the supervisor's support on the effectiveness of a communication training program targeted at staff members who work with individuals who have profound and multiple learning disabilities. Design/methodology/approach: The aim was to explore which aspects of supervisory support influenced the staff members to participate in the programme and the results for the on-going effects of the training. Findings: Staff members reported a need for more supervisory support to maintain the results of the training and to disseminate the new practices to non-trained staff. Originality/value: Although supervisory support seems to benefit staff members during their participation in training programmes, even careful planning and execution of this support cannot ensure its continuation after the training is finished. (Publisher abstract)
Social inclusion: life after ‘day services’
- Authors:
- LEYIN Alan, KAUDER Natalie
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 14(2), April 2009, pp.13-20.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Traditionally, participation in the local community has been considered a crucial component of community living for people with learning disabilities. This concept - now appearing as ‘inclusion’ - has retained its prominence, and is an important area for service development and monitoring. Monitoring of community activities was undertaken pre- and post-closure of two small day service facilities. The findings indicate that for this group of people (generally older with higher support needs) the closure of the day service facilities did not, overall, result in a significant increase in community activities. The availability of the time that the person had previously spent in specialist day services was not, by and large, used to develop social inclusion. Even though, for some individuals, some gains were recorded, overall these gains were considered a poor return for the hours released from the closure of the day service facilities.
Liberating silent voices – perspectives of children with profound and complex learning needs on inclusion
- Author:
- WHITEHURST Teresa
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 35(1), March 2007, pp.55-61.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper describes the evaluation of a drama production which involved 6 young people with profound and complex learning needs and 23 pupils from a mainstream school. The young people worked together on the project for nearly 2 years. The study aimed to find out what the young people with disabilities thought of the inclusion project. This article explains how the interviews were arranged, what tools were used and finishes with two case studies which are examples of what the young people thought. This research demonstrates that young people with severe learning disabilities have important messages to tell us about their experiences of inclusion. It also provides examples of how we can enable young people with severe learning disabilities to express their views.
Commentary on “Evaluating service users’ experiences of using Talking Mats®”
- Authors:
- HARDING Celia, STEWART Alison
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 23(2), 2018, pp.87-90.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide some thoughts following on from reading “Evaluating service users’ experiences of using Talking Mats®”. Design/methodology/approach: This commentary outlines some considerations for the continued discussions about how to engage people who have profound and multiple learning disabilities. Findings: The literature is not clear on the involvement of people with more profound and multiple learning disabilities, or for those who do not use much spoken language. Some papers have explored the notions of involvement and interpretation of pre-intentional communicators’ desires and interests. Originality/value: There needs to be a robust discussion across carer, academic and service user communities to consider what the communication rights and needs are for people who have profound and multiple disabilities. (Edited publisher abstract)
Community-based, consumer directed services: differential experiences of people with mild and severe intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- NEELY-BARNES Susan L., MARCENKO Maureen O., WEBER Lisa
- Journal article citation:
- Social Work Research, 32(1), March 2008, pp.55-64.
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
Two intervention concepts have become widely accepted in the developmental disability field: (1) that residential services should be provided in the person's own home and (2) that consumers should have choice in services. Yet, there has been little empirical research to support these practices. In particular, it is unclear whether some individuals are better able to gain access to services delivered under this practice framework and experience more benefits than others. This study uses data from Washington State's National Core Indicators 2002 consumer survey to address these questions. Two subgroups, the first having a severe intellectual disability (ID) profile (n = 101) and the second having a mild ID profile (n = 220), were identified in the data set and compared. Individuals with mild intellectual disabilities experienced greater choice and smaller residential settings than did those with severe intellectual disabilities. Next, a multigroup path analysis assessed paths from size of living unit and consumer choice to community inclusion, revealing significant relationships between variables for the severe group but not for the mild group.
Circles of Support and personalization: exploring the economic case
- Authors:
- WISTOW Gerald, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 20(2), 2016, pp.194-207.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Circles of Support aim to enable people with learning disabilities, and others, to live full lives as part of their communities. As part of a wider study of the economic case for community capacity building conducted from 2012 to 2014, the authors conducted a mixed methods study of five Circles in North West England. Members of these Circles were supporting adults with moderate to profound learning disabilities and provided accounts of success in enabling the core member to live more independent lives with improved social care outcomes within cost envelopes that appeared to be less than more traditional types of support. The Circles also reported success in harnessing community resources to promote social inclusion and improve well-being. This very small-scale study can only offer tentative evidence but does appear to justify more rigorous research into the potential of Circles to secure cost-effective means of providing support to people with learning disabilities than the alternative, which in most cases would have been a long-term residential care placement. (Publisher abstract)