Jon Sparkes OBE, chief executive of 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. charity Mencap, said:
“Putting
social care
Social care means the services that give care and support to people who need it.
at the top of the
Prime Minister
The Prime Minister is the leader of the government.
's
agenda
An agenda is a list of things to talk about at a meeting.
is a significant and welcome step.
“Social care isn’t just about care homes for older people. All of us, at any stage of life, could find ourselves in need of support to live the life we choose. Sometimes we don’t need much – a few hours a week to help with managing our homes, or services which give people an opportunity to socialise and their carers some time to do something else.
“Accelerating Baroness Louise Casey’s work is the right decision. This is too important to risk kicking into the long grass. Time and again, we see heartbreaking cases where the right support simply isn’t there. The starkest example of this is where people with a learning disability and autistic people are locked away in mental health hospitals because they cannot get the right support in their community A community is the people and places in an area. . Sometimes they end up locked away for years and years.
“We’re looking forward to the Big Conversation. It’s essential people with a learning disability are heard and that their views help to shape the future of social care. True reform can only be achieved when those with lived experience Experience is when you have learned or tried something before. are central to the changes ahead.”
ENDS
Note to editors
About Mencap
There are 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and they deserve to live their life to the full. So Mencap supports people with a learning disability to succeed in the things that matter to them. To ensure that people with a learning disability are not left behind at any stage of their life, we campaign A campaign is when people work together to try to change something. for a fairer society; work with families and partners to build inclusive communities; and we deliver person-centred services. We’ve spent 80 years changing lives. Now, with Mencap 2030, we’re changing the future.
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a reduced intellectual ability which affects someone for their whole life. Typically, people with a learning disability need more time to learn and process information. They may need extra support to develop skills, complete tasks and interact with others, or they may have more complex needs requiring round-the clock care. The level of support needed is different for everyone and may change during a person’s lifetime.
Learning disability is NOT a mental illness or a learning difficulty. Often, the term ‘learning difficulty’ is wrongly used in place of ‘learning disability’. Having a learning difficulty (such as ADHD or
dyslexia
Dyslexia is a learning difficulty. People who have dyslexia can find it hard to read, write and spell.
) may mean a person learns at a different pace or in a different way BUT – unlike a learning disability - it does not affect a person’s intellect.
With the right support, most people with a learning disability can lead happy, healthy, independent lives. At Mencap, it’s our mission to remove societal barriers and shatter misconceptions to make this more possible for more people.
Mencap’s guide to reporting on Learning Disability
When it comes to creating content with people with a learning disability, we know many people feel nervous about saying and doing the wrong thing. Our guide for journalists, covers everything from up-to-date facts and figures to the right language to use. It also includes tips on how to work with people with a learning disability to gather the best content.
For further information, please contact Mencap’s media team on: [email protected] or 02076 965414 (including out of hours).
