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Making it work
- Authors:
- KEYNSHAM NETWORK, LEWIS Michael, (Producers)
- Publisher:
- Your Say advocacy
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- DVD
- Place of publication:
- Bristol
This DVD tells the employment stories of 9 people with learning disabilities and their employers. It has been produced to encourage employers to think about giving people with learning disabilities a fair chance to get paid employment. The Keynsham Network, a forum for people with learning disabilities, were involved in the filming and editing of the DVD.
People with learning disabilities participating in research as members of a steering group: a research report
- Author:
- BOLLARD Martin
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health and Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 7(2), Autumn 2010, pp.174-183.
- Publisher:
- South West Yorkshire Mental Health NHS Trust and University of Huddersfield
This paper reports on a 14 month project in which people with learning disabilities participated in research as steering group members and interview informants. The main aim of the research was to explore the viewpoints of people with learning disabilities regarding team-working and how this user experience could inform health and social care students’ understanding of team-working. Four individuals, two men and two women formed the steering group and two additional individuals took part in interviews. All the volunteers in the steering group had a mild learning disability and were able to recall their own experiences and relate them to the purpose of the study. The participants helped oversee the research and also contributed as informants. Their ideas on team-working helped develop a questionnaire tool on team-working used at a later stage of research with students. The key themes that emerged from the steering group meetings and interviews are reported. The participants felt strongly that students needed to know about team-working and have ideas about what it is like having a learning disability. They were able to recognise that students at different stages of their training needed to learn different things. The perspectives on team working from participants such as working together, listening and being respectful, highlighted the benefits of team working.
In conversation with Pat Charlesworth
- Author:
- HOLMAN Andrew
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(4), December 2010, pp.242-244.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Pat Charlesworth is a self-advocate and a campaigner. She is one of the London representatives on the National Forum of People with Learning Disabilities. The National Forum is a government-funded body set up as part of the Valuing People programme in order to tell the Government how the programme is working from the perspective of a service user. This interview describes her childhood history, how she became involved in advocacy work, and her feelings about the Valuing People programme and the future of the National Forum. Pat Charlesworth was frequently in trouble as a child, but then started voluntary work which increased her confidence and led to her involvement with advocacy. She is unsure about the ability of the National Forum to tackle the current issues in the spending review and the cuts this will inevitably bring, and wants a National Forum that could bring all the self-advocacy groups and organisations of people with learning disabilities together to speak with one voice to fight the cuts and keep services safe.
How adults with learning disabilities view living independently
- Authors:
- BOND Rebecca J., HURST Jenni
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(4), December 2010, pp.286-292.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
It is seen as increasingly important for people with learning disabilities to be supported to live independently and manage their own self care, productivity and leisure activities. The aim of this study was to research the views of people with learning disabilities about the reality of living independently and to hear their stories. Semi-structured interviews were held with nine adults with mild learning disabilities who lived alone with minimal or no formal support at home. Their narratives were analysed using thematic analysis and seven themes emerged. These were: feelings on living alone; practical issues; support issues; choice and control; vulnerability; health issues; and the impact of having a learning disability. The participants related that they often have difficulties in their everyday lives, and they can sometimes struggle to manage their health, safety and to undertake practical tasks associated with independent living. However, they were very clear in their desire to remain living independently. The participants talked about service providers needing to be aware of their vulnerability and wanted people to respect their right to make their own choices. The issues raised reflect the need for support to enable increased social inclusion for people, and getting the level of support right.
Occupational therapy and people with learning disabilities: findings from a research study
- Authors:
- LILLYWHITE Alison, HAINES David
- Publisher:
- College of Occupational Therapists
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- 68p., bibliog.
- Place of publication:
- London
This research, commissioned by the College of Occupational Therapists, was designed to record occupational therapy practice and consider its impact on the lives of people with learning disabilities. It was conducted in three phases. Sixty nine occupational therapists who work with people with learning disabilities were initially audited against current standards (OTPLD 2003) and then discussed their practice in focus groups. Paid carers of people with learning disabilities were also interviewed to gain their perspective. The findings are discussed under the following headings: occupational therapists have a unique role and perspective from their training; occupational therapists assess the impact of learning disability on occupational performance; occupational therapists work intensively over a long period of time with people with learning disabilities; occupational therapists work with others to meet the needs of people with learning disabilities; outcomes of occupational therapy with people with learning disabilities; recognition of the occupational therapy role; wider health and social care policy impacts on occupational therapy with people with learning disabilities; developing the necessary skills to work with people with learning disabilities. The report concludes with recommendations for occupational therapists working in specialist learning disability teams and their managers. There are also recommendations for those involved in occupational therapy education and research.
Improving mental health services for people with intellectual disabilities: service users' views
- Authors:
- O'BRIEN Alex, ROSE John
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 4(4), December 2010, pp.40-47.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
It is widely considered that people with intellectual disabilities are more likely to experience mental health problems than people in the general population. The aim of this study was to seek the opinions of people with an intellectual disability who have additional mental health needs about the mental health services they receive. A semi-structured focus group methodology was used to ask the 8 participants about all aspects of the mental health services they receive, including inpatient facilities, professional contact, the support received in residential or supported living settings, and day opportunities. Four key themes were generated from the findings: views about being in hospital: good vs crap; ‘it hurt me when…’: responses of other to their difficulties; meaningful activity and employment; and needing help and support vs control. Overall, it was found that the participants valued staff who listened to them and actively tried to help with their difficulties. They also wanted choice and control over their lives, particularly with regard to meaningful day activities.
Turn your life around: person centred planning and families
- Authors:
- GREAT BRITAIN. Department of Health. Valuing People Support Team, (Producer)
- Publisher:
- Great Britain. Department of Health. Valuing People Support Team
- Publication year:
- 2010
- Pagination:
- DVD
- Place of publication:
- London
A short film aimed at carers which presents the story of two families and their experiences of person centred planning. The DVD also contains background information about person centred planning and contacts for further information.
A friend in need
- Authors:
- GATES Bob, WAIGHT Mary
- Journal article citation:
- Learning Disability Today, 10(10), December 2010, pp.26-28.
- Publisher:
- Pavilion
- Place of publication:
- Hove
The Valuing People Project was launched in May 2008 as a response to concerns about education commissioning, particularly pre-registration learning disability nursing, as well as to explore more generally the specialist learning disability health workforce for the future. The project used a multi-methods approach. This article reports on the results of focus groups that were conducted with 23 people with a range of learning disabilities and 16 parents and relatives of people with learning disabilities from Oxford, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight between January and June 2009. The key message from people with learning disabilities was that they wanted the right kind of person to support them, including a range of health staff as well as social care staff. The importance of a learning disability nurse offering specialist support and a ‘hospital friend’ in acute health care settings were identified. The central message from parents was that they want to be listened to and supported. Taken collectively, both groups demonstrated that there is still strong support for a specialist NHS learning disability workforce. Learning disability nurses were specifically identified as central to this. It was also clear that educational preparation for the specialist health workforce for the future needs to be modernised.
Hurting no-one else’s body but your own: people with intellectual disability who self injure in a forensic service
- Authors:
- DUPEROUZEL Helen, FISH Rebecca
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 23(6), November 2010, pp.606-615.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper presents findings from an investigation into the experiences of nine people with mild to moderate intellectual disability who self-injure. It looks beyond the clinical presentations in an attempt to capture the perceptions these people have of their care in a medium secure unit. A phenomenological approach was used, and during in-depth interviews, the participants gave descriptions of their experiences of self-injury. Through analysis of the interviews, findings revealed four main themes: coping strategies; staff and the organisational response – therapeutic communication; close observation; and looking to the future. As a coping strategy, self-injury was seen as an effective means of reducing distress; there were unique and common reasons for this distress. Common themes relating to the actions and reactions of health professionals and the organisational response were evident within all accounts. In ending, the clinical implications for service users are highlighted.
Mainstream in-patient mental health care for people with intellectual disabilities: service user, carer and provider experiences
- Authors:
- DONNER Ben, MUTTER Robin, SCIOR Katrina
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 23(3), May 2010, pp.214-225.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Government guidelines promote the use of mainstream mental health services for people with intellectual disabilities whenever possible. This study aimed to explore how people with intellectual disabilities fare in such services, by examining how service users with intellectual disabilities, their carers and service providers perceive mainstream in-patient mental health services, and to what extent their accounts are in line with key policy objectives. Face-to-face interviews with 9 service users, 9 carers and 4 community nurses were completed and analysed on a case by case basis using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The results were followed up in focus groups with service providers. The positive aspects of admission included the provision of respite, particularly for carers, and good basic care. These were outweighed by a perception of the admission as disempowering and lacking in flexible treatment provision. Accessing help emerged as a major problem, as well as the prospect of staff neglecting the specific needs of people with intellectual disabilities. The article concludes that, while there were some indications of improvements in line with recent policies and guidance, mainstream services seem a long way off realising aims of easy accessibility, person-centred practices and active partnership with intellectual disability services.