Shared decision making with family carers is clearly espoused in policy in the UK and elsewhere. The researchers in this U.S. study were interested to look at to what extent parents of children with autism spectrum disorder reported being engaged in such shared decision making. They set out to look at the association between shared [read the full story…]
Most local authorities are attempting to offer a range of services in response to the need for respite or a short break. Authorities have recognised the need to offer services therefore that attempt to meet the needs of carers and the people with disabilities, by ensuring that short breaks are responsive to people using services, [read the full story…]
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…]
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…]
Sexuality in adults with learning disabilities is a subject that has only relatively recently been tackled in the literature. The researchers in this study were interested in sexuality in adolescents, and wanted to look at the attitudes and behaviours of mothers of adolescents and consider whether or not the presence of learning disability might affect [read the full story…]
Positive behavioural support (PBS) recognises the importance of understanding the basis of why someone is exhibiting a behaviour that is challenging, and that there is a need to consider both proactive and reactive strategies in developing interventions. There has been a good deal reported in the literature about the training needs of paid carers in this [read the full story…]
We have posted a number of times recently about the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and issues relating to the knowledge of professionals about its operation. We would like to draw your attention to a new resource which is designed to help families involved in best interest decisions, to ensure they are involved. The resource has [read the full story…]
The Home Farm Trust have recently updated their guide to reaching and supporting diverse communities. This is a resource aimed at professionals working for people with learning disabilities, family carers and also for those who work in mainstream diversity and equality fields and is designed to help with meeting the needs of people with learning [read the full story…]
The use of information technology (IT) is now a fundamental part of education. An earlier study of the use of IT by students with learning disabilities in the USA (Wehmeyer et al 2004) found that they were less likely to have access to and benefit from technology than their non disabled peers. This USA survey [read the full story…]
Applied behaviour analysis (ABA) is a way of helping people to change their behaviour by focusing on the observable relationship between behaviour to the environment. ABA has led to a range of specific procedures that have enabled analysts to develop tailored intervention programmes based on functional analysis, specifically designed for individuals in their environments. This [read the full story…]
