This section has resources from a range of organisations in these subject areas:
If you can recommend any information about people with learning disbilities that would be useful to others, please let us know at enquiries@bild.org.uk
You may be interested in the links to easy read resources in the Easy Read section of this web site.
June 2012: Half of learning disability services failed to meet government standards
The Care Quality Commission publish the report of their inspection of 150 learning disability services announced in response to the abuse at Winterbourne View highlighted by the BBC's Panorama programme on 31 May 2011.
Download the CQC Report and find out more on their website.
The Department of Health also published an interim report containing new proposals to improve the quality and safety of services for people with learning disabilities.
Find out more and download the report on the Department of Health website.
You can find out more about the background to Winterbourne View and the responses to the Department of Health's Interim Report on this website's Winterbourne View Responses page.
National Forum for people with Learning Disabilities The National Forum is a democratically elected body representing people with learning difficulties in England. The National Forum has the job of telling the Government how it is working for people with learning difficulties.
Each of the 9 regions across England elect 2 members to the National Forum plus there are 2 Co-chairs making a total of 20 members. The National Forum meets 4 times per year. Each of the 9 Regional Forums meet between 2 and 4 times per year. They are funded by the Department of Health.
Find out more on the National Forum website.
People First Scotland People First (Scotland) started in 1989. It is the independent self-advocacy and collective advocacy organisation of people with learning difficulties in Scotland. We are run by and for people with learning difficulties.
Find out more on their website.
All Wales People First All Wales People First is the united voice of self-advocacy groups
and all people with learning disabilities in Wales.
Find out more on their website.
People with Learning Disabilities in England 2011 The Improving Health and Lives Public Health Observatory annual report on People with Learning Disabilities in England 2011 which summarises information collected by several government departments about people with learning disabilities.
It includes estimates of how many people with learning disabilities there are in England and information about the health of people with learning disabilities, the education of children with learning disabilities and health and social care services used by people with learning disabilities.
Download it from the IHAL website.
Mencap A website that is full of information, news, campaigns and activities, as well as details of Mencap's many services to support people with learning disabilities, their family carers and supporters.
Find out more on the Mencap website. Learning Disability Managed Knowledge Network
This website, produced by NHS Education in Scotland, provides information, resources and education for health and social care staff supporting children and adults with Learning Disabilities in Scotland.
Find out more on their website.
Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities As well as campaigning for the rights of people with learning disabilities, the Foundation offers a wide range of services, including research, consultancy and training.
Find out more on their website.
Better Info, Better Lives
This website provided by the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, provides accessible social care information for people with learning disabilities. It contains information on services and support and topics include employment, housing, and transitions. The design of the website is clear and accessible and available in a variety of formats including easy read, plain English, audio and video.
Find out more on this website
Learning Disability History website
This is the website of the Open University's social history of learning disability research group. They run conferences, produce life stories and write books and papers.
Find out more at their website.
The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disabilities The Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability at Normansfield contributes to the public understanding of the work of Dr John Langdon Down, Normansfield and the Royal Earlswood Asylum though exhibitions and events.
The museum seeks to contribute to the public understanding of people with learning disabilities through events and educational activities. The museum will celebrate the achievements of people with learning disabilities and display the artifacts of James Henry Pullen.
Find out more on the museum's website.
Top of the page
Money Skills Resources
BILD was commissioned by Barclays to develop accessible information and resources to support people with learning disabilities as part of the Barclay’s Money Skills programme. The project's work has resulted in:
An Information Pack for people with learning disabilities
Topics covered in this guide include opening and using a bank account, keeping track of your money and budgeting, spending and saving, staying safe, and where to go for more help and support.
The Banking made clear booklet is accompanied by a DVD which guides the viewer through a series of seven short films on the process of opening an account that is right for them, and top tips on keeping safe.
Download the Information Pack: Banking made clear for people with learning disabilities
Banking made clear - Quick Guide
This resource is a quick reference guide for people with learning disabilities wishing to undertake a variety of financial transactions.
Download the Banking made clear Quick Guide Banking made clear - Resource Pack
This toolkit contains four activities to help volunteers, support workers, tutors, and other practitioners who work with people with learning disabilities to put together and run successful money management sessions.
Download the Resource Pack You can read more about the project and its resources
on our Money Skills project page.
Mental health services for adults with learning disabilities People with learning disabilities and mental health problems do not always receive good services, because there are very few people who have been trained or have experience in both mental health and learning disabilities. The different services do not always work well together and people do not always get the help and support they need.
The Judith Trust asked service users and staff who work in learning disabilities services what they think are good services and how we can make them better.
You can download a copy of their report, published in July 2011, and a copy of the
easy read version of the report.
Depression in people with learning disabilities A webpage about this subject produced by the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Go to their website.
Mind Mind helps people to take control over their mental health. They provide information and advice, training programmes, grants and services through our network of local Mind associations. They do all this to make it possible for people who experience mental distress to live full lives, and play their full part in society.
Find out more about mental health and people with learning disabilities on the Mind website. October 2012: Mental and Learning Disabilities BlogA blog produced by Steven Hardy of the Estia Centre about mental health issues and people with intellectual disabilities.
http://intellectual-disabilities.blogspot.co.uk/
Top of the page
Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) MCA e-learning website These elearning resources are freely available to all. They provide audio, video and interactive technology to assist in exploring the many areas of the Mental Capacity Act.
Find out more on the SCIE website. SCIE 'At a glance' 43: Deprivation of Liverty Safeguards Download this short guide from the SCIE website.
Mental Capacity Act: A resource for family and friends of people with learning disabilities This resource has been developed specifically for family and friends of people with learning disabilities, using knowledge gained through practical experience since 2007, so that they understand how the Act affects them and those they care about.
Using the Mental Capacity Act: A resource for family and friends of people with learning disabilities is the outcome of a joint project between Hft’s Family Carer Support Service (FCSS), the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities (FPLD) and the National Family Carer Network (NFCN), and was funded by the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE).
Download the report from the Hft website where you can also see videos about using the Mental Capacity Act.
Making Best Interests Decisions: People and Processes The Best Interests Decisions Study was the first large-scale national research to find out about professional practices in best interests decisions made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The study was led by the Norah Fry Research Centre at Bristol University, in collaboration with the University of Bradford and a UK research and development charity, the Mental Health Foundation. The study was funded by the Department of Health and was completed in 2011.
Download a copy of the report or the summary, from the Mental Health Foundation's website. Mental Capacity Act 2005 The Act can be read at the legislation.gov.uk website.
Mental Capacity Act Code of Practice
The Code of Practice supports the MCA and provides guidance to all those who care for and/or make decisions on behalf of adults who lack capacity. The Code includes case studies and clearly explains in more detail the key features of the MCA.
Read the Code of Practice and other information about the Act on this Justice department website.
Mental Capacity Act 2005: Deprivation of liberty safeguards - Code of Practice
You can download the Code of Practice for the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards from the Department of Health website.
The Mental Capacity Act 2005 Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and you
Hospitals, care homes, local authorities and Primary Care Trusts have a statutory duty under MCA DOLS legislation to make sure that the person made subject to the authorisation and assessment process is supported to understand what is happening to them; and that they are made aware of their rights and entitlements under the MCA DOLS.
This is information, produced by the Department of Health in easy read, audio and video for the information of those going through the process
The Department takes the view that these publications should only be provided for those service users and their families who are going through the assessment process.
Download it from the Department of Health website.
The operation of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in England, 2009/10 The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has a duty to monitor the application of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. This monitoring role covers hospitals and care homes as managing authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs) and councils as supervisory bodies.
Download their first report on the Safeguards which provides an overview of how they were implemented and used in their first year (2009/10).
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLs) became part of The Mental Capacity Act 2005 from April 2009. The Mental Capacity Act is a law about making decisions and what to do when people cannot make some decisions for themselves.
When people cannot make a decision for themselves this is called lacking capacity. The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards only apply to people who are lacking capacity.
BILD produced two short booklets for the Department of Health, that help explain the significance of DoLs.
Download The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and You Download The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards for families and carers .
July 2012: Mencap launches Mental Capacity Act resource for family carers of people with PMLD
Mencap has produced a resource for parents and carers of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) to help ensure they are involved in making best-interest decisions about health matters. The new resource equips parents to know their rights and gives practical suggestions of how they can ensure that they and their family member are involved in decisions. It includes film clips of families telling their own stories of their experiences of healthcare. It also outlines useful tools that families can use, such as hospital passports and health action plans.
Download the resource from the Mencap website.
Top of the page
Positive Practice, Positive Outcomes: A handbook for professional in the criminal justice system working with offenders with a learning disability
A Department of Health best practice handbook from Offender Health and Valuing People providing information, practical advice, sign-posting and best practice examples for criminal justice professionals working with offenders with learning disabilities and learning difficulties.
Find out more on the Department of Health website
Staying Positive: The Criminal Justice System and Learning Disabilities
A Department of Health Easy Read booklet for people with a learning disability. It provides information about the publication 'Positive Practice, Positive Outcomes', a handbook for staff in the criminal justice system about offenders with learning disability or learning disabilities.
Find out more on the Department of Health website
June 2012: Support for vulnerable defendants in the criminal courts
'Fair Access to Justice?' launched by the Prison Reform Trust for frontline staff in the criminal justice system and the NHS. It explains how people with a learning disability who have to appear in court as a victim or witness are given extra support or 'special measures' to help them understand and cope with the process.
Download a free copy from the Prison Reform Trust website >
September 2012: Going to a magistrate's court - information for people with learning disabilities
Leaflet produced by HM Courts & Tribunals Service and Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust to explain the magistrates’ court process to people with learning disabilities.
It is intended for use by anyone whose role involves supporting people with learning disabilities through the court process.
Download a copy of the leaflet.
Travel in london Transport for London have resources to support people with learning disabilities when travelling in London. This includes a person-centred guide to travelling in london, which also has an audio version.
Find out more on their website.
If you can recommend any information about people with learning disabilities that would be useful to others, please let us know at enquiries@bild.org.uk
Top of the page
