As you know, we at Elf towers are committed to making research evidence available in a way that helps people who support people with learning disabilities to be evidence based. However, as well as knowledge based practice, we also recognise that practice based knowledge – what we all learn from our experiences of being supported [read the full story…]
People from ethnic minorities in the UK are likely to face inequalities, discrimination and disadvantage. From the late 1990s, studies began to document examples of racist attitudes being shown towards South Asian children with learning disabilities, There were also suggestions that South Asian parents received later diagnosis of learning disability in their child, with the [read the full story…]
People with learning disabilities are often prescribed anti-psychotic medication, whether or not there has been a diagnosis of psychiatric disorder. There continues to be some concern about the evidence base to support this. The most recent Cochrane review which looked at the issue in relation to people with learning disabilities and schizophrenia found that there is [read the full story…]
Self injurious behaviour is usually defined as behaviour that directly results in physical harm to an individual and includes such behaviours as hand biting, head slapping, picking at skin, gouging or striking the body or eating inedible material. In addition, researchers have begun to include display of repetitive movements even though they may not immediately [read the full story…]
Normally, we at the Learning Disabilities Elf like to look at learning disability specific research, but we thought this review of the utility of risk assessment tools was interesting and relevant to people with learning disabilities who come into contact with psychiatric and criminal justice services. Risk assessment research stresses the dynamic nature of predictors [read the full story…]
Previous studies have suggested that the use of personal narratives can be useful for victims of sexual abuse in the process of enabling them to overcome their trauma. The authors of this small study in the Netherlands start with the view that it is possible for counsellors to help victims with learning disabilities to co-construct [read the full story…]
Friendships and relationships are usually the things that most people will say are important to them in describing their quality of life. Many people with learning disabilities however have very limited opportunities to meet and make friends. The people in their social networks may be family members, or people who are paid to support them. [read the full story…]
We have posted previously on these pages about the barriers that people with learning disabilities face as parents. We have also though pointed to the evidence that suggests that timely and appropriate support can help parents to provide a loving environment for their child. The authors of this Australian study point out that mothers with [read the full story…]
Estimates for the prevalence of self injurious behaviour vary from 4% to 10% as a result of case definition differences and study methodologies. However, such behaviours have a major impact of the quality of life of those involved and present challenges to family members and paid carers. There is some evidence emerging that suggests that [read the full story…]
Setting clear goals that stretch but are achievable and measurable is a key skill in bringing about change. The researchers in this Australian study were interested in how parents and people with learning disabilities experienced using the Family Goal Setting Tool, which aims to support people and their families to identify targets for change. The [read the full story…]
