Powys Intellectual / Learning Disability Service
What is a learning disability?
“Learning Disabilities” can be described as an umbrella term under which all affected individuals are described as having varying degrees of “impairment of intellectual ability” and may have difficulties with some everyday activities such as household tasks, developing new skills, understanding complicated information, and socialising with others. Learning Disabilities are present before adulthood and have a lasting effect on development.
Not everyone who has a Learning Disability will need support from a specialising Learning Disability Service – this is based on an individual’s needs. Please consider the below questions before making a referral to the team to ensure you are referring to the correct team:
- Has the individual attended a special school/ were they statemented in mainstream school?
- Did the person achieve qualifications at school?
- Is there a diagnosis of a learning disability?
- Have they seen a specialist psychiatrist for Learning Disabilities?
- Has the person ever been told they have a learning disability?
- Does the individual need help to read?
- Do they have difficulties with writing?
- Does the person have difficulties with simple numerical calculations? E.g. working out the change from £5 for a loaf of bread which costs £1.20.
- Do they have difficulty communicating their needs?
- Does the individual need support with activities of daily living? E.g. self-care, cooking, shopping, etc.
- Do they have difficulty interpreting social cues?
- Does the person have difficulty controlling their behaviour?
- Does the individual have difficulty co-ordinating movement?
- Do they have trouble learning new skills?
- Does the person have difficulty understanding new or complex information?
- Does the individual have a sensory impairment?
Several ‘yes’ answers may indicate the presence of a Learning Disability
Please email the Learning Disability Team if you would like to see the operational guidance for the Learning Disability Service: Powys.LearningDisabilityTeam@wales.nhs.uk