Search results

This paper describes the piloting of an approach to social services inspection using a range of objective research evidence as part of the Social Services Inspectorate's inspection process in 1997, in eight local authorities in England. The Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities Applied Research Unit worked with the Social Services Inspectorate to collect details on residential and day services in advance of the inspection process. The paper repeats the findings of this Report and of the collaboration.

This paper briefly summarises the main Welsh policy principles that apply to all people with learning disabilities, including those with mental health needs or severe challenging behaviour. We briefly review progress in supporting people with complex behavioural needs, reflect on areas where development in practice has not lived up to policy rhetoric and also examine the consequences of this policy to practice gap. We then describe current barriers to further service development. Finally, we suggest a number of changes that are necessary for the current inadequacies to be resolved.

There are many definitions of profound and multiple learning disabilities. Most definitions include having a high degree of learning disability in conjunction with at least one other severe impairment, such as visual, auditory or physical impairments (Male, 1996; Ware, 1996; Lacey, 1998). Bunning (1997) adds that people with such disabilities are very reliant on others for support, including support in taking part in communicative events. Establishing reliable and consistent methods of communication may be exceptionally difficult (Florian et al, 2000). However, it is important to consider the individuality and extreme diversity of this population (Detheridge, 1997; Hogg, 1998), which includes variability in communication strengths and needs (Granlund & Olsson, 1999; McLean et al, 1996). Communication is often given little attention when services are planning ways of supporting individuals to participate, develop independence and make choices (McGill et al, 2000). While the individual's communication strengths and needs should remain central within any discussion, the significant others and the environment will also have an important influence. This article explores some of the communication issues experienced by people with profound and multiple learning disabilities and highlights the importance of the communication partnership within interventions.

The purpose of this paper is to summarise what is known about the health of people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

The paper aims to update the unpublished review and scoping paper undertaken by Swift for the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities; provide a conceptual framework for understanding the key determinants of the poorer health outcomes experienced by people with ASD; undertake a brief option appraisal of existing sources of data that may be of value in addressing the mortality and morbidity of people with ASD; and establish future research possibilities.

The limited literature suggests higher rates of mortality and morbidity among people with ASD.

A simple conceptual framework for understanding the key determinants of poorer health of people with ASD is proposed. Options for studying the mortality and morbidity in ASD using existing data sources are also appraised and recommendations are made for future research in the area.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how service managers perceive their service prior to, and following the delivery of a cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) anger management group for individuals with an intellectual disability.

Telephone interviews were conducted with seven service managers, before and after a CBT group intervention. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis to identify common and/or contrasting themes.

Before the intervention took place managers observed a lack of consistency in how their staff dealt with challenging incidents and the serious consequences these incidents had for service users as well as staff. They spoke about the importance of multi-disciplinary working and good quality staff selection, support and training. After the group intervention managers commented on a positive “spilling-out effect” whereby the whole organisation was influenced by the intervention, a greater willingness on the part of service users to talk about their problems, and an increased confidence in the staff members who had co-facilitated the group work.

The implications of the themes raised are discussed and recommendations for further research are suggested.

This research provides a unique contribution of managers’ views and insight into how hosting a CBT group intervention impacted on their wider services.