| What are learning disabilities? |
People with learning disabilities find it harder to learn but they can do so with help from other people. People usually have a learning disability from birth or sometimes from early childhoo.d People with learning disabilities are not all the same; they come from all kinds of families, have varied lives and have different needs. Some people have severe learning disabilities and need a lot of day-to-day support. People with mild or moderate learning disabilities can live with much less help from other people. Some people prefer to say learning difficulties instead of learning disabilities. A learning disability affects the way someone learns, communicates or does some everyday things. Someone has a learning disability all through their life. A learning disability does not stop someone from learning and achieving a lot in life, if they get the right support.
What causes learning disability? There are many different causes of learning disability and it is often not possible to say why someone has a learning disability. Most learning disabilities are caused by the way the brain develops – before, during or soon after birth:
(genes are chemicals in our bodies that contain information about us – like how we look)
Attitudes towards people with learning disabilities People with learning disabilities have often been treated with hostility or suspicion. Because of these negative attitudes they have been set apart and isolated. Most people with learning disabilities now live in the community and go to the same pubs, shops and leisure centres and enjoy the same things as everyone else. This gives other people a chance to get to know them. The media and voluntary organisations can help to change perceptions by using pictures of people with learning disabilities which show things they can do, such as having a job or volunteering.
Inclusion of people with learning disabilities People with learning disabilities were often separated from other people in the past, but most now live in the community. The government wants everyone to be part of their community which means more people with learning disabilities going to mainstream schools, having jobs and using local leisure facilities. Some services are helping people do this. They are asking people what kind of life they want and helping people have more say about their own lives.
Choice for people with learning disabilities People with learning disabilities do not always have the chance to make the same choices as other people. Everyone should be able to choose, including people who do not use words. People need to have different things to choose from. They should be able to change their minds and be free to choose big things like where to live as well as smaller things like what to have for breakfast. People with learning disabilities may have the chance to choose what they would like to do in their lives through advocacy, and with the support of friends, family and carers.
Policy and legislation affecting people with learning disabilities In the UK there are laws which apply to England and Wales and different (but sometimes similar) laws in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Most laws which concern people with learning disabilities also apply to other people. Some are only about children - others cover children and adults. The main laws that are likely to make a difference to the lives of people with learning disabilities are about:
The Government has published a document called 'Valuing People'. It is the most important document on learning disability for thirty years and sets out an ambitious and challenging programme of action for improving services. The Scottish Government has published a document called 'The Same as You?' This is a review of services for people with learning disabilities in Scotland and it sets out a programme of action for the next 10 years.
Statistics on learning disabilities What is meant by the term 'learning disabilities'? The formal definition of 'learning disabilities' or 'intellectual disabilities' includes the presence of:
How many people in the UK have learning disabilities? There are no reliable official statistics concerning the number of people with learning disabilities in the UK. The estimated number of people with mild learning disabilities in the UK is 580,000 –1,750,000. It is estimated 230,000 – 350,000 people have severe learning disabilities. The incidence of Down's syndrome is approximately 1 in 600. There are between 580,000 and 1,750,000 with milder learning disabilities. Who has learning disabilities? Males are more likely than females to have both severe learning disabilities (average ratio 1.2 males: 1 female) and mild learning disabilities (average ratio 1.6 males: 1 female). Severe learning disabilities are more common among boys/men, young people and people from South Asian communities. Mild learning disabilities are more common among boys/men, young people, people who are poorer and people from adverse family backgrounds. How many people have autistic spectrum disorders? Approximately 1 in 200 people have an autistic spectrum disorder. A greater number of boys than girls have autistic spectrum disorders. The male: female ratio is 3: 1 in children with autistic spectrum disorders and learning disabilities. This ratio is 6: 1 in children with autistic spectrum disorders and an IQ in the normal range. What are the causes of learning disabilities? Biological, environmental and social factors are all involved in causing learning disabilities. Biological factors can be identified as causing severe learning disabilities in 4 out of 5 children and as causing mild learning disabilities in between 1 and 2 out of 5 children. What are the health concerns of people with learning disabilities? 25-40 per cent of people with learning disabilities also have mental health problems. People with learning disabilities have a high level of unrecognised illness and have reduced access to generic preventative screening and health promotion procedures. Are people with learning disabilities at risk of abuse? 23 per cent of adults with learning disabilities have experienced physical abuse. 47 per cent of adults with learning disabilities have experienced verbal abuse and bullying. What is the cost of providing services to people with learning disabilities? Approximately £4.6 billion is spent a year to provide formal services for children and adults with learning disabilities in the UK. |