Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 4(2), June 2010, pp.38-43.
Publisher:
Emerald
According to international conventions and UK government policy, parents with intellectual disability have a right to have children and should have access to support to help them bring them up successfully. The kinds of support parents with intellectual disability should receive are described in detail in the Good Practice Guidance on Working with Parents with a Learning Disability. In practice, however, parents with intellectual disability continue to have problems with accessing the support they need to ensure they are able to demonstrate they are good enough parents to hold on to their children and are disproportionately at risk of having their children taken from them. This article reviews the challenges that parents face in holding on to their children and the support they need, both from professionals and the wider extended family where appropriate. The importance of having access to independent advocacy, especially in child protection or court proceedings, is highlighted; such advocacy is not widely available, despite recent policy commitments in this area.
According to international conventions and UK government policy, parents with intellectual disability have a right to have children and should have access to support to help them bring them up successfully. The kinds of support parents with intellectual disability should receive are described in detail in the Good Practice Guidance on Working with Parents with a Learning Disability. In practice, however, parents with intellectual disability continue to have problems with accessing the support they need to ensure they are able to demonstrate they are good enough parents to hold on to their children and are disproportionately at risk of having their children taken from them. This article reviews the challenges that parents face in holding on to their children and the support they need, both from professionals and the wider extended family where appropriate. The importance of having access to independent advocacy, especially in child protection or court proceedings, is highlighted; such advocacy is not widely available, despite recent policy commitments in this area.
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, parenting, parents, parents with learning disabilities, relatives, advocacy, child protection, family support, grandparents;
Despite the Children Act, there is often no partnership with parents with learning difficulties, they find they are not been given support or counselling and may even risk losing their children. Looks at this concern.
Despite the Children Act, there is often no partnership with parents with learning difficulties, they find they are not been given support or counselling and may even risk losing their children. Looks at this concern.
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, parents, parents with learning disabilities, rights, service users, social services, social care provision, user participation;
This review sets out to investigate the nature and extent of evidence relating to independent advocacy for disabled people at risk of losing choice and control in four specific situations: during transition to adulthood; when the children of disabled parents are subject to safeguarding procedures; when entry to residential care is a possibility; when disabled people are victims or alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour. In doing so, it describes and evaluates evidence about the need, costs and benefits associated with independent advocacy. The final section summarises the state of the evidence base currently available and the gaps therein, and suggests what additional research is needed to further our knowledge in this field.
This review sets out to investigate the nature and extent of evidence relating to independent advocacy for disabled people at risk of losing choice and control in four specific situations: during transition to adulthood; when the children of disabled parents are subject to safeguarding procedures; when entry to residential care is a possibility; when disabled people are victims or alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour. In doing so, it describes and evaluates evidence about the need, costs and benefits associated with independent advocacy. The final section summarises the state of the evidence base currently available and the gaps therein, and suggests what additional research is needed to further our knowledge in this field.
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, mental health problems, mentally disordered offenders, offenders, parents with learning disabilities, residential care, sensory impairments, service transitions, advocacy, anti-social behaviour, child protection, crime victims, disabilities;
This is the executive summary of a review which sets out to investigate the nature and extent of evidence relating to independent advocacy for disabled people at risk of losing choice and control in four specific situations: during transition to adulthood; when the children of disabled parents are subject to safeguarding procedures; when entry to residential care is a possibility; when disabled people are victims or alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour. In doing so, it describes and evaluates evidence about the need, costs and benefits associated with independent advocacy. The final section summarises the state of the evidence base currently available and the gaps therein, and suggests what additional research is needed to further our knowledge in this field.
This is the executive summary of a review which sets out to investigate the nature and extent of evidence relating to independent advocacy for disabled people at risk of losing choice and control in four specific situations: during transition to adulthood; when the children of disabled parents are subject to safeguarding procedures; when entry to residential care is a possibility; when disabled people are victims or alleged perpetrators of anti-social behaviour. In doing so, it describes and evaluates evidence about the need, costs and benefits associated with independent advocacy. The final section summarises the state of the evidence base currently available and the gaps therein, and suggests what additional research is needed to further our knowledge in this field.
Subject terms:
learning disabilities, mental health problems, mentally disordered offenders, offenders, parents with learning disabilities, residential care, sensory impairments, service transitions, advocacy, anti-social behaviour, child protection, crime victims, disabilities;
Includes chapters on: supporting families of children and adults with learning difficulties; achieving supported housing; supported employment and real jobs; continuing education for adults with learning difficulties; institutional trends in services; developing better relationships between health and social services; assessment and care management; making contracts work for people with learning difficulties; user participation in services; complaints procedures; developing better services for people from black and minority ethnic communities; gender issues; older people with learning difficulties; self advocacy; challenging behaviour; sexuality; parents with learning difficulties; poverty; and media images of people with learning difficulties. Also contains sections on services provision in the United States and Canada.
Includes chapters on: supporting families of children and adults with learning difficulties; achieving supported housing; supported employment and real jobs; continuing education for adults with learning difficulties; institutional trends in services; developing better relationships between health and social services; assessment and care management; making contracts work for people with learning difficulties; user participation in services; complaints procedures; developing better services for people from black and minority ethnic communities; gender issues; older people with learning difficulties; self advocacy; challenging behaviour; sexuality; parents with learning difficulties; poverty; and media images of people with learning difficulties. Also contains sections on services provision in the United States and Canada.
Subject terms:
independence, learning disabilities, mass media, multidisciplinary services, older people, parents, parents with learning disabilities, poverty, quality assurance, residential care, sexuality, sheltered employment, social care provision, supported housing, user participation, women, assessment, care management, complaints, contract procedures, contracts, education, families, employment, equal opportunities, health care;