INFORMATION & RESOURCES

What is ASD?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a range of similar conditions, including Asperger syndrome, that affect a person's social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour.
In children with ASD, the symptoms are present before three years of age, although a diagnosis can sometimes be made after the age of three.
It's estimated that about 1 in every 100 people in the UK has ASD. More boys are diagnosed with the condition than girls.
There's no "cure" for ASD, but speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, educational support, plus a number of other interventions are available to help children and parents.

Autism in adults
Some people with ASD had features of the condition as a child, but enter adulthood without ever being diagnosed.
However, getting a diagnosis as an adult can often help a person with ASD and their families understand the condition, and work out what type of advice and support they need.
For example, a number of autism-specific services are available that provide adults with ASD with the help and support they need to live independently and find a job that matches their skills and abilities.

What is a Learning Disability?
A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things in any area of life, not just at school.
A learning disability affects the way a person understands information and how they communicate. Around 1.5m people in the UK have one. This means they can have difficulty:

understanding new or complex information
learning new skills
coping independently

It is thought that up to 350,000 people have severe learning disabilities. This figure is increasing.
Mild, moderate or severe learning disability
A learning disability can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people with a mild learning disability can talk easily and look after themselves, but take a bit longer than usual to learn new skills. Others may not be able to communicate at all and have more than one disability. A learning disability is not the same as a learning difficulty or mental illness.

What is Downs Syndrome?
Down's syndrome, also known as Down syndrome or trisomy 21, is a genetic condition that typically causes some level of learning disability and certain physical characteristics.
People with Down's syndrome will also have different personalities and abilities. Everyone born with Down's syndrome will have some degree of learning disability, but this will be different for each person.

What is a mental health problem?
A mental health problem is a term used to cover a range of emotional, psychological or psychiatric distress experienced by people. About a quarter of the population will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year.
Is mental health the same as learning disability?
No! Unlike learning disability, mental health problems can affect anyone at any time and may be overcome with treatment. A learning disability is a reduced intellectual difficulty with everyday activities which affects someone for their whole life.
Can you have a learning disability and a mental health problem?
Yes you can. In fact, research suggests that between 41% and 27% of adults with a learning disability have a mental health problem and about 40% of children with a learning disability suffer from mental health problems.
In the past, it was rarely recognised when a person with learning disability suffered from mental health problems and, even in recent times, often mental health problems in people with a learning disability are overlooked or underestimated.
Why are people with a learning disability more likely to have mental health problems?
Lots of different reasons have been suggested to explain why people with a learning disability are more vulnerable to mental health problems. These include the fact that people with a learning disability are more likely to experience deprivation, poverty and other adverse life events earlier on in life, an increased risk of social exclusion and loneliness and other people’s negative attitudes towards people with a learning disability.
Do we always know if someone with a learning disability has a mental health problem?
A major barrier to diagnosing mental health problems in people with a learning disability is that symptoms shown by someone with a learning disability might be seen as behaviour related to their learning disability instead of the real problem - the mental health problem.
Another reason is that mental health and learning disability services are often separate, and do not always work together. This means that assessment measures to detect mental health problems in people with a learning disability are not always well developed.

For further information see:

What is ASD?

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is the name for a range of similar conditions, including Asperger syndrome, that affect a person's social interaction, communication, interests and behaviour.

In children with ASD, the symptoms are present before three years of age, although a diagnosis can sometimes be made after the age of three.

It's estimated that about 1 in every 100 people in the UK has ASD. More boys are diagnosed with the condition than girls.

There's no "cure" for ASD, but speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, educational support, plus a number of other interventions are available to help children and parents.

Autism in adults

Some people with ASD had features of the condition as a child, but enter adulthood without ever being diagnosed.

However, getting a diagnosis as an adult can often help a person with ASD and their families understand the condition, and work out what type of advice and support they need.

For example, a number of autism-specific services are available that provide adults with ASD with the help and support they need to live independently and find a job that matches their skills and abilities.

What is a Learning Disability?

A learning disability affects the way a person learns new things in any area of life, not just at school.

A learning disability affects the way a person understands information and how they communicate. Around 1.5m people in the UK have one. This means they can have difficulty:

understanding new or complex information
learning new skills
coping independently

It is thought that up to 350,000 people have severe learning disabilities. This figure is increasing.

Mild, moderate or severe learning disability

A learning disability can be mild, moderate or severe. Some people with a mild learning disability can talk easily and look after themselves, but take a bit longer than usual to learn new skills. Others may not be able to communicate at all and have more than one disability. A learning disability is not the same as a learning difficulty or mental illness.

What is Downs Syndrome?

Down's syndrome, also known as Down syndrome or trisomy 21, is a genetic condition that typically causes some level of learning disability and certain physical characteristics.

People with Down's syndrome will also have different personalities and abilities. Everyone born with Down's syndrome will have some degree of learning disability, but this will be different for each person.

What is a mental health problem?

A mental health problem is a term used to cover a range of emotional, psychological or psychiatric distress experienced by people. About a quarter of the population will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year.

Is mental health the same as learning disability?

No! Unlike learning disability, mental health problems can affect anyone at any time and may be overcome with treatment. A learning disability is a reduced intellectual difficulty with everyday activities which affects someone for their whole life.

Can you have a learning disability and a mental health problem?

Yes you can. In fact, research suggests that between 41% and 27% of adults with a learning disability have a mental health problem and about 40% of children with a learning disability suffer from mental health problems.

In the past, it was rarely recognised when a person with learning disability suffered from mental health problems and, even in recent times, often mental health problems in people with a learning disability are overlooked or underestimated.

Why are people with a learning disability more likely to have mental health problems?

Lots of different reasons have been suggested to explain why people with a learning disability are more vulnerable to mental health problems. These include the fact that people with a learning disability are more likely to experience deprivation, poverty and other adverse life events earlier on in life, an increased risk of social exclusion and loneliness and other people’s negative attitudes towards people with a learning disability.

Do we always know if someone with a learning disability has a mental health problem?

A major barrier to diagnosing mental health problems in people with a learning disability is that symptoms shown by someone with a learning disability might be seen as behaviour related to their learning disability instead of the real problem - the mental health problem.

Another reason is that mental health and learning disability services are often separate, and do not always work together. This means that assessment measures to detect mental health problems in people with a learning disability are not always well developed.

For further information see:

www.autism.org.uk
www.nhs.uk
www.downs-syndrome.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk

For Sensory needs see:

www.rnib.org.uk
www.rnid.org.uk

The Care Act: Safeguarding Adults

The Care Act 2014 sets out a clear legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of the system should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

Local authorities have new safeguarding duties. They must:

lead a multi-agency local adult safeguarding system that seeks to prevent abuse and neglect and stop it quickly when it happens
make enquiries, or request others to make them, when they think an adult with care and support needs may be at risk of abuse or neglect and they need to find out what action may be needed
establish Safeguarding Adults Boards, including the local authority, NHS and police, which will develop, share and implement a joint safeguarding strategy
carry out Safeguarding Adults Reviewswhen someone with care and support needs dies as a result of neglect or abuse and there is a concern that the local authority or its partners could have done more to protect them
arrange for an independent advocate to represent and support a person who is the subject of a safeguarding enquiry or review, if required.

For further information see: www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults

Skills for Care

Skills for Care provides practical tools and support to help adult social care organisations in England recruit, develop and lead their workforce. We became the home of the National Skills Academy for Social Care in 2014.

By working with organisations and sharing best practice, we help to raise quality and standards and make sure dignity and respect are at the heart of service delivery.

For further information see:

www.skillsforcare.org.uk
www.nhs.uk
www.downs-syndrome.org.uk
www.mind.org.uk

For Sensory needs see:

www.rnib.org.uk
www.rnid.org.uk

The Care Act: Safeguarding Adults

The Care Act 2014 sets out a clear legal framework for how local authorities and other parts of the system should protect adults at risk of abuse or neglect.

Local authorities have new safeguarding duties. They must:

Lead a multi-agency local adult safeguarding system that seeks to prevent abuse and neglect and stop it quickly when it happens.
Make enquiries, or request others to make them, when they think an adult with care and support needs may be at risk of abuse or neglect and they need to find out what action may be needed.
Establish Safeguarding Adults Boards, including the local authority, NHS and police, which will develop, share and implement a joint safeguarding strategy.
Carry out Safeguarding Adults Reviews when someone with care and support needs dies as a result of neglect or abuse and there is a concern that the local authority or its partners could have done more to protect them.
Arrange for an independent advocate to represent and support a person who is the subject of a safeguarding enquiry or review, if required.

For further information see: www.scie.org.uk/care-act-2014/safeguarding-adults

Skills for Care
Skills for Care provides practical tools and support to help adult social care organisations in England recruit, develop and lead their workforce. We became the home of the National Skills Academy for Social Care in 2014.
By working with organisations and sharing best practice, we help to raise quality and standards and make sure dignity and respect are at the heart of service delivery.

For further information see: http://www.skillsforcare.org.uk