Learning Disabilities
What is a learning disability?
• People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand or communicate
• A learning disability is not an illness or a disease
• A learning disability is most usually recognised at birth or sometimes in early childhood and is present throughout a person’s lifetime
• Learning disabilities are often described as mild or moderate or severe/profound.
• People with a mild learning disability may not need a great deal of support in their lives
• Some people may have a profound learning disability and have high individual support needs. Their behaviour is sometimes challenging and they may have additional sight or hearing difficulties, autism, mental or other health conditions.
• Many people with a learning disability live independent lives
• 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.
Widely accepted facts about learning disability:
• About 2% of people in the UK have a learning disability
• The number of adults with learning disabilities aged over 60 is predicted to increase by 36% between 2001 and 2021
• Around 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 conditions 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
Read here about Gables Manor - Making Space's care home for people with learning disabilities