National policy in the UK surrounding the support of people with learning disabilities stresses the autonomy of people in receipt of support and the need for those who support them to maximise this. However, support workers also have a duty of care and can find these two policy objectives in conflict with each other. The [read the full story…]
The researcher in this study set out to explore the differences in perspectives that exist between parents with learning disabilities and the professionals employed to support them. Parents with disabilities may report having little say in the nature of the support they receive and may feel as though they are being coerced into accepting whatever [read the full story…]
This review of literature set out to explore the issues relating to families relinquishing the support of their family member with learning disabilities, often at a point of crisis. The review looked at situations where the family member is placed by disability services in respite care until suitable permanent accommodation can be organised or indeed, [read the full story…]
The researchers in this study set out to investigate the rates and types of co-morbid disorders in a group of 84 young people (mean age 19.5 years) with autism. They assessed mental disorder with a semi-structured comprehensive clinical interview with the participants and with caregivers and also used quantitative questionnaires. The diagnoses were made according [read the full story…]
Challenging behaviour in people with learning disabilities can be highly disruptive for the person and those who provide them with support. This review set out to evaluate the evidence base for massage therapy, used with people with challenging behaviours to induce relaxation. The review aimed to identify whether massage therapy was effective in reducing the [read the full story…]
There is a growing literature on the interaction of issues that impact on outcomes for people with learning disabilities who live in supported housing or other residential services. Issues relating to the organisation of supports can play a key role in influencing outcomes. This review of the literature set out to look at these issues [read the full story…]
The nature of the relationship between the client and caregiver has been shown to be a key factor in a number of studies. However, there have been few studies looking at the nature of the relationship between people with mild learning disabilities and their caregivers. This study set out to look at this issue in [read the full story…]
This review of the literature set out to summarise the current status of knowledge and clinical practice in the area of relationships and sexuality for people with learning disabilities, which the review authors describe as an area that is complex and challenging. Services for people with learning disabilities have undergone a move towards personalisation, person-centred [read the full story…]
There is a limited literature about self harm in people with learning disabilities. There are some qualitative studies, but mostly relating to forensic services. The researchers in this study were interested in the extent to which the beliefs that staff hold about self-harm influence their response to the behaviour. The researchers used Q-methodology a research [read the full story…]
In 2009, researchers in Surrey completed an audit of pain recognition and management within the learning disability services there. One of the key recommendations from that audit was that staff in learning disability services should receive training in pain recognition and management. As a result, nearly 200 services in the locality (from an invitation list [read the full story…]
