Last reviewed: October 2016 | Next review: Currently being reviewed
Current situation
People with a learning disability A learning disability is to do with the way someone's brain works. It makes it harder for someone to learn, understand or do things. should be able to live their life in the way they choose, like anyone else. Getting the right care and support can be crucial for this to happen. Mencap believe that people with a learning disability must also have choice and control over where they live and how they are supported.
Care and support can range from a few hours to 24 hours a day. This can include many things, like supporting someone to get up and get dressed, develop friendships and relationships Relationships are about the people in your life. You might have different types of relationships like friendships, family relationships, or a boyfriend or girlfriend. , and become active members of their community A community is the people and places in an area. .
The issues
- 1 in 4 people with a learning disability now spends less than 1 hour a day outside of their home due to cuts Cuts are when there is less money to pay for things like clubs and support. to day services Day services are things some people with a learning disability do in the day, usually as part of a group. For example: drama or craft. (Mencap’s Stuck at Home report, 2012)
- Spending on adult social care in England has fallen í4.6bn over the last five years⁴, so there is real pressure on the system
- Today, support for people with a learning disability comprises around 30% of social care funding in the UK. If pressures on the system persist, there will be an estimated í926m funding shortage for learning disability support services by 2020⁵
- There are currently around 3,480⁶ people with a learning disability in inpatient units in England. Many are there due to a lack of the right support and services in their local community
What we want
We want everyone with a learning disability, together with their families and carers, to get the support they require when it’s needed. And we want people with a learning disability to be happy, safe, well and valued; able to live their lives to the full in the way they choose.
In order to make this happen:
- the threshold for getting support should be lowered to ensure people with a learning disability with moderate needs do not miss out
- there must be more funding in the social care system to ensure the needs of people with a learning disability can be met
- the social care workforce must have the right skills to support people with a learning disability, including those with complex needs. They must be paid a wage A wage is the money you get for doing a paid job. that reflects their skills and responsibility Responsibility is managing or being in charge of something. and be valued for the work they do
- the right support and services must be developed in local areas to ensure people with a learning disability can become active members of their community. Local authorities and the health service must work together effectively to make this happen
- people with a learning disability and their families must get information about the support that is available to them and their rights Rights are the things everyone should be allowed to do like have a say, or go to school. . They must also get the help they need to understand and exercise these rights, including challenging cuts to support and services.