Background: People with learning disabilities are often left behind and ostracised in life, education, employment and in research. This article describes the importance and value that people with learning disabilities can bring when participating in co-production and lived experience research. The article reports on the inequalities and barriers…

People with learning disabilities are among the most socially excluded in society. There is a significant gap in research evidence showing how health and social care workers can intervene to improve the social participation of adults with learning disabilities. A systematic review and modified narrative synthesis was used to appraise the quality…

Changes in the living circumstances of people with learning disabilities have seen responsibility for their health become the provenance of paid-and family-carers. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with three family-carers and ten paid-carers. Findings revealed that the role of these carers was undefined, leading to difficulty in…

Background: Hearing loss has a significant impact on living well and on communication in all adults, with the numbers affected increasing with age, and adults with learning disabilities being at particular risk. Methods: A review of the literature on hearing loss in older adults with learning disabilities was completed. Results: A significant…

Background: People with a learning disability can present with complex physical and social needs, and sometimes rely on touch for communication. Historically, touch-related staff guidance has been described as risk-averse, lacking an evidence base, control-orientated and potentially harmful. This project reviews local touch-related guidance from…

It is well established that people with Down's syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than other people and that onset of dementia is likely to occur earlier at an earlier age. The article reports on a specialist service for people with Down's syndrome and dementia. The service has offered dementia screening and assessment to people with…

There has been a steady increase over the last 20 years in the number of parents with learning disabilities who are referred to social workers and community health practitioners. It is a common experience for parents with learning disabilities to have their child removed from the home and placed permanently in care, and although they are often…

Background: People with intellectual/intellectual and physical disabilities frequently use day-service centres, an array of services that involve the provision of care and social activities during the daytime and offer homebound people with disabilities opportunities to live in their communities. While nurses working at day-service centres for…

UK social care policy has "traditionally" sought to minimise organisational and sector boundaries through cooperation and partnership. This discussion paper argues that there is a case for a social care system based openly on separation of powers to address the conflicts of interest that inevitably exist between the actors--notably local…

Background: Intervention to increase self-determination of people with learning disabilities is a major issue for social care practices. This study examines relational needs of people with learning disabilities regarding self-determination in the context of the relationships they share with social care professionals. Method: We held focus group…

People with an intellectual disability are living longer, and the numbers continue to rise. Ireland has and is seeing a dramatic change in the age pro?le of clients and the support services they require. While Ireland had speci?cally trained nurses in intellectual disability, they predominately work in residential settings. This can be seen as…

There has been limited research on the attitudes of family carers and the part they play in helping people with a learning disability choose accommodation. A postal questionnaire was sent to family carers of people with Down's Syndrome, to identify their attitudes to supported living, their experience of the application process, and the…