learning disabilities

L'Arche website

L'Arche is an international federation of communities for people with learning disabilities and assistants. There are eight communities in England, Scotland and Wales. The website provides information about L'Arche communities and their underlying philosophy, information about becoming an assistant, text of L'Arche charter, information on the Overseas Development Fund for sister communities in developing countries, articles written by those involved in the L'Arche Communities, suggestions for further reading, contact details and links to other L'Arche sites.

Autism in Mind

Autism in Mind (AIM), based in England, provides support and information to parents, carers, young people and families living with autistic spectrum disorder, and aims to make a positive difference to the lives of families living with autism. It has set up several on-line support and information groups for parents and carers to access. The AIM DIET highlights the issues within Diagnosis – Intervention – Education and Training, needed to be addressed by the government.

Autism Initiatives UK

Autism Initiatives UK is a charitable organisation established in 1972, providing support for individuals with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and their families in locations throughout the north of England, Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Ireland. It exists to enable persons with ASD "to be fully included, participating members of their community through advocacy, public awareness and education."

Autism Education Trust

The Autism Education Trust (AET), launched in November 2007, continues to be funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. It is a collaboration between The National Autistic Society, TreeHouse and The Council for Disabled Children, and others working in the autism field in England.

Disabled Parents Network

Disabled Parents Network (DPN) is a national organisation of and for disabled people who are parents or who hope to become parents, and their families, friends and supporters. DPN provides information, advice and peer support to disabled parents, their families and supporters.

Update 2017: Disabled Parents Network is now closed.

Recognising fathers: understanding the issues faced by fathers of children with a learning disability

Report that consolidates the key messages from fathers of children with disabilities, and re-contextualises them in a 21st century agenda for development. The platform provided by this report is a sound basis from which professionals and services can re-orientate their practice and service delivery to ensure that fathers are heard, and listened to, their needs embraced and their contribution valued.

Adults with learning disabilities implementation of 'The same as you?' Scotland 2006

National figures for services provided by local authorities in Scotland for adults with learning disabilities are presented. All figures for 2006 relate to the week ending 10 September 2006 and are provisional. This publication is a result of The same as you? review of services for people with learning disabilities, published in May 2000. Its 29 recommendations for developing learning disability services set out a programme for change over 10 years.

A hospital or a home? Findings from themed visits to NHS and private sector wards for people with learning disabilities

The Commission undertook a themed visit to all learning disability in-patient units during the 2007-08 visiting programme. The Commission visited 39 facilities across Scotland from 25 October to 7 November 2007. Prior to the visits, health boards were asked to provide some information about the wards in their areas.

Staff were asked a series of questions about the people living in the ward on the day of the visit and about how care and treatment was provided. Commission staff met with individual patients and some relatives and carers.