Learning Disability: A Life Cycle Approach to Valuing People

"This is a comprehensive, well written and highly informative book that explores, identifies and addresses many of the issues that affect the lives of people with learning disabilities and their family. The book covers many topical and important subjects that are extremely relevant and appropriate to my students' course work."
Paul Mills, Senior Lecturer, Suffolk College

"An excellent student text with good case studies and exercises to develop students' critical thinking." Sandra Fleming, Trinity College Dublin

"impressive and comprehensive text" Mrs Jean Bell, Senior Teaching Fellow, University of Stirling

• What kinds of transitions and discontinuities in their life experiences do people with learning disabilities and their families face over the life cycle?
• How can people with learning disabilities and their families be helped to lead more valued, healthy and socially included lives?
• How best can practitioners and others support people with learning disabilities?

This book adopts a life cycle approach in order to reveal important dimensions in the lives of people with learning disabilities and the effects upon them and their families. It tackles issues about transitions in people’s lives and how services, professionals, advocates, allies and wider communities of interest can support people with learning disabilities in achieving healthy and valued lives.

Different voices are heard in this book, but prominence has been given to the views and experiences of people with learning disabilities and their families. Each major life stage section of the book begins with one such narrative-based chapter, followed by chapters that develop practice, policy and theoretical themes that inform an evidence-based approach to supporting people.

Learning Disability is primarily aimed at student readers entering health and social care professions to work with people with learning disabilities but also appeals as a reference text to professionals and those looking for up-to-date information and ideas relating to people with learning disabilities.

Contributors: Dorothy Atkinson, Nigel Beail, Christine Bigby, Jane Bloom, Alison Brammer, Jacqui Brewster, Hilary Brown, Lesley Cogher, Helen Combes, Clare Connors, Eric Emerson, Margaret Flynn, Nick Fripp, Linda Gething, Dan Goodley, Peter Goward, Gordon Grant, Chris Hatton, Sheila Hollins, Jill Jesper, Kelley Johnson, Gwynnyth Llewellyn, Alex McClimens, Roy McConkey, David McConnell, Fiona Mackenzie, Ghazala Mir, Mark Powell, Raghu Raghavan, Paul Ramcharan, Malcolm Richardson, Bronwyn Roberts, Philippa Russell, Jane Stapleton, Kirsten Stalker, Lesley Styring, John Taylor, Irene Tuffrey-Wijne, Sally Twist, Jan Walmsley, Ada Watson.

Gordon Grant is Professor of Cognitive Disability in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield. He has long-standing interests in marginalised groups, risks and resilience in their lives, and their inclusion within the family and community. He has published many books and papers in this field.

Peter Goward is currently Director of Learning and Teaching in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield. His interests are predominantly in the area of identity, ethnicity and resilience with a particular emphasis on Gypsy/Traveller communities and mental health promotion.

Paul Ramcharan is Reader in Cognitive Disability in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield. He has maintained an interest in empowerment and inclusive research since his early research in the 1980s on evaluating services under the All Wales Strategy.

Malcolm Richardson is currently Head of the Department of Mental Health and Learning Disabilities in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Sheffield. His research interests are in the areas of disability, health, social and political inclusion. His professional background is in learning disabilities nursing and nurse education.