Learning Disability in Focus: The Use of Photography in the Care of People with a Learning Disability

Photography can form a valuable aid to the lives of people with learning disabilities: it can be used to resolve problems and enhance understanding. This book explores the possibilities which photography makes available to the carers and families of people with learning disabilities.

The core of the book consists of scenarios in which photography is employed in this way. These scenarios include Brian, who wanted to practise his newly-learned cookery skills at home; Joy, who moved to a new flat; and Laura, who loved art and craft but whose work was often lost when she took it home. In each case practical problems or sources of distress were eased by an imaginative use of photography. Each scenario concludes with a list of practical points to guide the carer; and the book commences with recommendations of situations where a camera could be used as an adjunct to working with people with learning disabilities.

Eve Jackson is a former nurse who now works as a writer. She has considerable experience in working with people who have a learning disability, as a nurse in residential and community settings. She is currently working with young people in a voluntary capacity. Neil Jackson has worked as a teacher and lecturer in the field of learning disabilities nursing for the past fifteen years. He is currently working at the University of Southampton's School of Nursing and Midwifery.