In 2007, "self-directed support" was introduced in adult social care in England to establish choice and control--in the assessment process itself and over service provision--for "all" service users. The personalisation agenda is underpinned by a range of ideologies, particularly a civil rights empowerment approach and…

Studies have focused on the experience of diagnosis from the perspectives of parents of children with learning disabilities, but there has been limited methodologically rigorous investigation into the experience for the person themselves. Eight participants were recruited from a range of different backgrounds. Interviews were analysed using…

There is a lack of international research focusing on how the siblings-in-law of adults with a learning disability experience their commitment to provide support. Using narrative research, the authors have aimed to gain an insight into the perspectives of 14 siblings-in-law (living in the Flemish part of Belgium) about the decision to live…

People with learning disabilities have higher levels of health needs compared with the general population (Nocon, 2006, Background evidence for the DRC's formal investigation into health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities or mental health problems. London and Manchester, Disability Rights Commission). Research has shown…

Our work, based on two pieces of research, aims to show how we try to get the voice of persons with learning disabilities. In both pieces of work, the second of which is still under progress, we have used video as the means by which we can collect and show what people are saying in the context and situation in which they find themselves. As we…

This article describes a partnership research project carried out by a research team consisting of people with learning disabilities and people without learning disabilities. The research explored people's understandings of advocacy and identified gaps in advocacy provision for people with learning disabilities and their families. Four focus…

Although co-production of research with people who access support services is increasingly common, details about how people who access support services can take more of an assertive role in developing research proposals and method design remains sketchy. This article reflects on the development of a research project on adult protection practice in…

Building a meaningful and valued life for individuals with learning disabilities requires the sustained, diligent and coordinated efforts of family members, supporters, educators and the individuals themselves. In this article, the formative childhood and adolescent experiences of two young adults with learning disabilities, leading to their…

Learning of a child's disability can be a difficult time for any parent. Sensitive support is critical to ensuring parents understand the nature of the disability, the prognosis and services available to them. However, where the disability is not well understood, where professionals are not well informed and where pathways of care are not…

There appears to be some degree of hesitation and lack of confidence among professionals in conducting capacity assessments. This document explains a two-phase process developed and implemented by a multi-disciplinary group of professionals during a pilot project. The first phase in the decision making process is to determine to what extent the…

We are five young people with learning disabilities who found out about the history of hospitals for people with learning disabilities in our area, and made a film about the project. The project taught us what life had been like for some people with learning disabilities only 30 years ago. It was very different to our lives; we have more choice,…

Research-informed policy and practice is needed for older caregivers of adult sons/daughters with disabilities. These caregivers are often under tremendous stress because of failing health, financial pressures, bereavement and worry about the future of their sons/daughters. Twenty-nine older parents/caregivers of 27 adults with intellectual and/or…

Two-thirds of the people registered on the Irish National Intellectual Disability Database (NIDD) reside at home with family members frequently supporting them (Kelly et al., "National Intellectual Disability Database Committee Annual Report 2006," Health Research, 2007). Use of respite care services by parents with a child/adult with an…

Previous researchers who compared how people with, and without, an intellectual disability respond to music focused on musical aptitude, but not on arousal. This paper presents the background, methodology, and results of a study that selected fifteen different pieces of music, and compared the arousal response of adults with (n = 48), and without…

In the late 20th century, the day services which had been set up for adults defined as having learning disabilities became understood as problematic because of the effects of segregation. The new solution became the adjustment of services to support a governmental form of personhood; a model of personhood defined by independence, the ability to…