What is Learning Disability Matters for Families?
It is primarily for parents and carers of children and young people:
- Who have been identified as having a learning disability
- Who have concerns that their child or young person MIGHT have a learning disability.
What will it cost to use?
Nothing – it is completely free to use.
Why does this matter?
Children and young people with learning disability often have different needs and will likely need reasonably adjusted services and support. The ‘Learning Disability Matters for Families’ webapp gives parents and carers straightforward, pragmatic, realistic information that is aimed to help them day to day, know where to go for further help and understand what they are entitled to.
We hope it is really straightforward to use and includes a range of tools, resources and films to
- Explain what a learning disability is and what it isn’t.
- Films of families of children and young people with learning disabilities sharing their experiences and giving helpful advice, positive examples and practical information of where to go for further help.
- Health conditions to look out for and advice about what to do.
- Make sure they know about their rights about reasonable adjustments to services.
- Give examples of what voluntary sector organisations are able to do to support parents and carers of children and young people with learning disabilities.
- Provide advice and guidance about the sorts of services that can be helpful.
- Information about the importance of children and young people being on the G.P. learning disability register.
- Provide explanation about why it is important that the G.P. practice know that parents and carers of children and young people with learning disabilities are included on the G.P. carers register.
How has Learning Disability Matters for Families been made?
A small steering group made up of the following people have designed, led, co-ordinated and worked with lots of other people to make it. We hope it is a very accurate reflection of what parents and carers of children and young people with learning disability from across Cumbria and the North East told us what was important to include:
Judith Thompson, North East & Cumbria Learning Disability Network Manager
Kirsty Greenwell, North East & Cumbria Learning Disability Network Facilitator
Dr. Karen Horridge, Consultant Disability Paediatrician
Karen Parry, Chief Executive, Inclusion North
Jillian Allan, parent and families advice worker
Debbie Austin, parent and Strategic Workforce Development Manager – Family Carers
Jo Gilliland, parent and parent and Strategic Workforce Development Manager – Family Carers
Karen McKenzie, Clinical Psychologist
A huge amount of people have contributed to providing content, being filmed and giving their time, effort, energy and brilliant knowledge to this project – we are extremely grateful for their contribution.
Lucy Craig, Dr Hannah Crawford, Dr Jim Gordon, Dr Celia Harbottle, Dr Gill Legg, Prof Karen McKenzie, Matthew Moon, Dr Steve Noone, Jenny Osborne, Terry Rutherford, Kathy Seed, Julie Tucker and Jo Wilcox.