Learning Disabilities

What is a learning disability?

• People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand or communicate.
 
• A person has a learning disability all through their life, but it is not an illness or a disease.
 
• People usually have a learning disability from birth or sometimes from early childhood.

There are many different types of learning disability. They are often called mild, moderate or severe/profound.

Many people with a mild learning disability do not need a great deal of support in their lives but others with profound disabilities may need 24 hour support.

Some people are described as having high individual support needs. They may have a profound learning disability, behaviour that is sometimes challenging, additional sight or hearing difficulties, autism, mental illness or other health problems

Many people with a learning disability live independent lives. It is important to understand that people with a learning disability are individuals with their own personalities, likes and dislikes,
goals and ambitions. A learning disability does not prevent someone from learning and achieving a lot in life, given the right support.

Making Space provides a range of services for people with learning disabilities and believes that people with learning disabilities and their families have, and should be able to enjoy on an equal basis, the same human rights as everyone else.

Some figures
• About 2% of the population have a learning disability

• The number of adults with learning disabilities aged over 60 is predicted to increase by 36% between 2001 and 2021

• About 60% of adults with learning disabilities live with their families

• Children and young people with learning disabilities are 6 times more likely to have mental health problems than other young people

• Almost 1 in 3 people with learning disabilities say they do not have any contact with friends.

• 17% of people with learning disabilities have a paid job