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A response to the paper "Use of Technology by Older Adults With an Intellectual Disability in Ireland to Support Health, Well-Being and Social Inclusion During the COVID-19 Pandemic,"by Darren McCausland, Mary McCarron and Philip McCallion, is presented. Topics include ways to present quantitative data in academic journals for easier understanding, practical information that should be included in research papers and the importance of the research to people with learning disabilities.

Accessible Summary: Many of the papers this time are all about the relationships of people with learning disabilities. This may be loving or sexual relationships, relationships with staff, research, sport or friends.This issue has the first In Response article. Here people with learning disabilities share their response to one of the papers in the issue. Everyone involved learned greatly from the process.Some of the papers are based on inclusive research – where people with learning disabilities were also researchers – and many include the experiences of people with learning disabilities.The papers highlight how loneliness can be a problem. Two papers show the challenges for people forming relationships in their new settings if they have come out from institutional care.Papers in this issue show the importance of open honest communication such as when talking about planning for the end of life. The final paper shows how staff need to be compassionate in their care roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This paper reports on a participatory project on the history of learning disability. The paper makes contributions to discourses on using participatory research methods with people labelled with learning disabilities, on the nature of research impact in participatory research, and on the lived experience of learning disability today. Methods: We used a two‐step methodology. The first step involved searching for and selecting archive material relating to the history of learning disability. The second step involved a series of participatory workshops. We worked collectively to systematically analyse the case history of Antonia Grandoni. Then we responded to it in a variety of creative ways. In doing so, we made connections between Antonia's life and our own. Findings: Many of Antonia's experiences seem very similar to what people labelled with learning disabilities often encounter today. These include discrimination, segregation and dehumanisation. Despite this, we very much enjoyed doing the research. As well as finding out about the history, some of us learned new skills, some of us grew in confidence, and we also made new friends. Conclusions: Participatory methods are an effective way of making digital archive material more accessible to people labelled with learning disabilities. In this project, using participatory methods revealed a lot of parallels between how we think somebody experienced learning disability in the mid‐19th century, and how it is experienced today. They also resulted in significant impact on the people doing the research. Accessible summary: This is a paper about how we researched learning disability history together.We used material in a digital archive as well as creative methods to do our research.Working this way helped us learn about ourselves, and each other's experiences of learning disability, whilst we learned about the history.This is important because people with learning disabilities have not often been able to do historical research.Research like this matters because doing it teaches us useful skills and can be empowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: The COVID‐19 pandemic has forced everyone to live at a social distance from other people. This has changed the way people live and are included socially.This paper focuses on the unexpected ways schools have altered and deepened social inclusion for children with learning disabilities during the COVID‐19 pandemic.We interviewed six people: two people who work for a Local Authority, one Headteacher of a special school, one Special Educational Needs and Disability Consultant, one young person with a learning disability and her mother.The findings and conclusions show the "new normal" caused by COVID‐19 can help to deepen social inclusion for children with learning disabilities. For example, it can help children communicate in alternative ways with their teachers and friends. It can help families to understand more about their son/daughter's educational abilities; this means they can advocate better for them. It can help professionals to meet the needs of children with learning disabilities more quickly.We do not enjoy living at a social distance from everyone else, but we do want to make sure that lessons can be learnt from this moment in time. Background: To slow the spread of COVID‐19, on 20 March 2020, nurseries, schools and colleges across England were closed to all learners, apart from those who were children of key workers or were considered "vulnerable." As young people with learning disabilities, families, professionals and schools become acquainted with the Erfahrung of the new horizon brought about by COVID‐19, the negativity of altered social inclusion is becoming the "new normal." Capturing this transitory moment in time, this paper reflexively analyses the curiously productive variables of altered ecological pathways to social inclusion for people with learning disabilities. Methods: Taking a hermeneutic stance, this paper draws on Gadamer's construction of the nature of new experiences. Focussed on the experience of social inclusion during the COVID‐19 pandemic, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with six key stakeholders. As the phenomenon in question was new, an inductive approach to thematic analysis was applied. Findings: The critical tenet of this paper is that the Erfahrung of COVID‐19 has created the conditions for a "new normal" which have afforded children with learning disabilities altered opportunities for social inclusion, whether that be through increased power/agency for them and their families and/or new modes of connectedness leading to enhanced relationships. Conclusion: Whilst the impact of COVID‐19 has been a negative one for many aspects of society, application of Simplican and Gadamer's theories on social inclusion and the nature of new experiences has permitted the surfacing of new possibilities for the social inclusion of children with learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Camphill Movement is one of the largest independent providers of social care for people with a learning disability: there are 119 communities located throughout the world. From the start, the principal aim of the Movement—co‐founded by Dr. Karl König and his wife Tilla (née Maasberg) in Aberdeen—was to build communities in which children and adults with a learning disability could live, learn, and work with others in healthy social relationships. Karl König was born in Leopoldstadt, Vienna on the 25 September 1902 and died on the 27 March 1966 in a Camphill community in Brachenreuthe, Germany. Mathilde Maasberg was born in Gnadenfrei, Silesia, on the 9 March 1902 and died on the 17 September 1983 in the Camphill community of Fairways in South Africa. The paper focuses primarily on the lives of Karl and Tilla König and highlights the key points in their respective biographies. Whilst it is usually the name of Dr. Karl König that is associated with the Camphill Movement, a case is presented here that his wife significantly shaped the essential character of the Camphill way of life. She had been born into a Moravian Brethren settlement and latterly wove a strong, discernible and enduring element of Moravian practice into the fabric of Camphill life and work. Since the deaths of Karl and Tilla König Camphill communities have continued to seek the creation of environments where the economic, social and spiritual aspects of the community life complement one another. The paper identifies six key constituents that it is argued are central to the essence of Camphillness: mutuality, rhythmicity, spirituality, tranquillity, ecological sensitivity and economic sustainability. The paper ends with reflections on the 21st Century relevance of Camphill communities. Accessible summary: This paper is about the life of Karl and Tilla König.It discusses the influence of the Moravian Brethren.The characteristics of Camphill communities.I conclude by reflecting on the 21st Century relevance of Camphill communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: Sometimes people find it hard to notice what is going on in their mind, body and feelings. Mindfulness can help us with this. Some studies show that mindfulness might help people with intellectual disabilities.We asked people to play a mindfulness computer game to see whether it helped them to notice their mind, bodies and feelings more easily. People who work with people with intellectual disabilities helped to play the game too.We asked people what they thought about the game.People seem to enjoy playing the game and said it helped them be more mindful.We think that learning mindfulness in a computer game might be helpful for people with intellectual disabilities. Background: This paper evaluates the user experience of a newly developed mindfulness and relaxation game designed to teach mindfulness skills to people with intellectual disabilities. Computer‐assisted mindfulness programs have gained considerable attention among researchers in both adult and child populations. However, less is known about the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities who engage in computerised mindfulness programs. The present study aimed to explore the experiences of adults with intellectual disabilities and clinicians in using a computerised mindfulness and relaxation game. Method: Twelve adults (with a mild or moderate intellectual disability) and sixteen clinicians were individually interviewed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse and generate themes within the data. Findings: Three main themes with a number of subthemes were generated for people with intellectual disabilities including the following: (1) The Process of Mindful Island; (2) Fostering Relationships Through the Computer; and (3) The Impact of the Game. Three themes from clinician interviews were also generated including the following: (1) A Good Concept but More to Do; (2) Uncertainties Around Players' Understanding of Mindfulness; and (3) The Computer as a Tool to Build Relationships. The findings indicated that participants found the game an enjoyable experience and saw a number of benefits to engaging in it including perceived improved confidence and perceived reduction of worries. Conclusions: Mindfulness can be adapted to computer‐assisted technology for use among people with intellectual disabilities and may foster a number of benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary Staff who care for people with autism were shown video of themselves at work., Only good bits of video were shown to staff. Good bits were chosen because the video showed that the staff and the people with autism were enjoying being with each other., We asked four members of staff how watching the good bits of video made them think and feel., In this paper, we report what the staff said. We grouped their ideas into sets. In this paper, we report exactly what the staff said., We found that all staff felt more confident after watching the videos. They could see more ways that the people with autism were communicating with them. They could imagine being better at making relationships with people with autism., We think that finding positive moments of enjoyment using video is a good way to make things work better for staff and for the people with autism., Summary This paper provides preliminary findings of the impact of a workforce coaching intervention that used video feedback in a service for children and adults with autism. The proposed mechanism for change in the intervention was the way that video footage was highlighted through editing on the part of the practitioner and the positive coaching conversation that was used to review the video edits. Four participants who had received the intervention were interviewed after the intervention. Thematic analysis of the participants' responses during the narrative style interview was conducted. The results suggest that the participants found the intervention a positive experience that raised their confidence in their work role. They reported heightened awareness of the individual needs of the people they worked with and a new appreciation of the potential for relationship between themselves and the services' users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: A supported internship is a work placement for people with disabilities that includes spending some time at work and some time at school or college. It usually lasts for a year and people get extra support in the work placement.We wanted to find out how supported internships for people with learning disabilities helped them to feel like they belong in workplaces and society.We found that the supported internships we studied did help people with learning disabilities to feel like they belong. The interns developed self‐confidence, they were able to talk to people more easily, and they learned that they were good at things. This was because the people they worked with saw them as individuals who were able to do helpful things. It was also because of the feedback they got at work and how they worked in different departments.We think there should be more supported internships because they help people with learning disabilities to take the next step in life more confidently. Researchers need to find out more about how supported internships can help people to be socially included. Background: Obtaining employment for young people with learning disabilities remains challenging, and people may not be able to experience work that offers them the opportunity for broader and deeper social inclusion. Supported internships (SIs) offer a possible solution to this problem, providing a bespoke, structured study programme designed for students with disabilities. Methods: This paper explores, through an ecological systems approach, the experiences of three graduates, six interns, two job coaches and three colleagues, from a long running SI in a large private‐sector organisation that delivers utilities in the midlands in the UK. The organisation has many different departments and interns work in several of these, including the mailroom, reprographics, catering, health and safety, reception, and customer services. The researchers conducted small focus groups and interviews with the participants described above. Findings: Thematic analysis identified three core phenomena of relevance to understanding the relationship between the SI programme and interns' experience of deepened and broadened social inclusion. The first theme illustrated positive changes to interns' and graduates' self‐concept (e.g. self‐determination) and participation, the second captured accounts of reciprocity in relationships, and the third contained insights into the SI practices that were relevant to improved social inclusion. Conclusions: The SI did lead to the broadening and deepening of social inclusion for interns and graduates. The person‐centred ethos of the SI, personalised approaches to workplace adaption and feedback policies were practices that began to emerge as implicated in this impact. Positive developments to self‐concept emerged as important in building interns' and graduates' capacities for participation. The study also demonstrated that an ecological systems approach is useful as a basis for conceptualising and investigating changes to the amount and quality of social inclusion, as experienced by people with learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses articles in the issue on topics including the health risk of children with Down syndrome, the benefits of regular physical activity, and foot care.

An interview with Speak Out charity workers Nathaniel Lawford, Danielle Garratt and Noelle McCormack is presented. They talk about teaching people with disabilities to use the Internet, their online engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic, relationship building during the lockdown and processes to ensure safety of charity members. They discuss the potential expansion of digital platforms for engagement and the growing opportunity of ownership within events and meetings.

Accessible summary Relationships and sexuality are important for disabled people., Through the voices of 16 intellectually disabled adults, this paper shows what they consider to be important in areas such as education or personal relationships., Most of the people interviewed would like to have a partner and live together as a couple., Intellectually disabled people encounter many barriers to obtain certain basic rights., Summary This study starts from the premise that we are sexual beings, and therefore, sexuality is part of our lives and defines us as human beings. This is also true with regard to intellectually disabled people. Within the framework of broader qualitative research carried out in Spain, some partial results of an ongoing study aimed at finding out what a group of adults see as important in different areas of their lives are presented here. Through the personal narratives of 16 intellectually disabled people, this paper explores some of their ideas and demands about sexuality and their sexual lives. Most of the people interviewed expressed their desire to have a partner and to live as a couple. There is no doubt that many intellectually disabled people have greater control over their lives and the decisions that affect them, but as they tell us, the presence of old ideas can hinder them from securing their fundamental rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Lots of people with autism find it difficult to make friends and have relationships.There are lots of different groups that can help people with autism to learn social skills and how to make friends.Some of the groups were specially designed for people with a learning disability as well as autism.The groups can help support people to talk about their emotions, talk to other people about their thoughts and feelings and practise talking to other people.This paper found that social skills groups can help people with autism to improve their social skills and to talk to people more.The PEERS‐YA group appears to be the best social skills group for people with autism without a learning disability.More research is needed to learn more about social skills groups for people with autism and a learning disability. Background: Social and communication impairments are a core diagnostic feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and can act as a barrier to developing relationships. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2016) guidelines recommend group social skills interventions as the first‐line treatment to help adults with ASD improve their social skills and relationships. To date, reviews have only explored the impact of group social skills interventions for adults with ASD without intellectual disability (ID). This review aimed to critically appraise studies investigating group social skills interventions for adults with ASD both without intellectual disability and with a mild or moderate intellectual disability. Method: A systematic search of four databases (PsycINFO, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL), as well as hand‐searching of references, was conducted. Ten studies were identified, employing different designs and methodologies, and covering six different group social skills interventions. Results: Overall, the review provided fairly consistent evidence that group social skills in different formats can reduce social impairments and increase social interaction, social knowledge and empathy for adults with ASD. Conclusion: There was variation in the quality of studies, and the most robust evidence was provided for the efficacy of the PEERS‐YA intervention. There was less evidence supporting the effectiveness of group social skills interventions for adults with ASD and intellectual disability, and more research is needed in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary People with intellectual disability need to be able to talk about the things that are important to them in their lives., This includes talking about their sexuality and the type of relationships they would like to have., A self-advocacy group did research about this subject with our support., Together we found that sexuality is an important topic for many people with intellectual disability., There are those who would like to have more opportunities to have sexual relationships., Summary This paper presented research undertaken in collaboration with a self-advocacy group using inclusive research methods and puts forward the views of people with intellectual disability on the topics of sexuality and relationships. The paper presents the perceptions of sexuality of the people with intellectual disability and how these are influenced by social and cultural norms. Using Judith Bulter's concept of performativity, the analysis of the findings shows how some people with intellectual disability accept the sexual norms that are ascribed to them, while others resist them. The paper also shows how the inclusive research process itself enabled the people with intellectual disability who took part to articulate their acceptance or resistance of these norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary People with intellectual disabilities can find it hard to understand what behaviours are ok in what situations and with what people. These rules change all the time, and so it is important to be able to work out how to behave for each new situation., If people with intellectual disability behave inappropriately, they may be judged as rude. They may put themselves at risk and be unsafe if they do not understand what information is ok to share with others and how to say no if someone is behaving inappropriately with them., This paper describes a training programme that was developed to help people with intellectual disabilities to work out if a behaviour is ok or not ok. The programme also shows that it is important to think about the person we are with and the place we are in so we can work out if a behaviour is ok or not., Summary This paper outlines a programme Safe and Social that has been implemented with adults with intellectual disability across multiple contexts in a service based in Ireland. The emphasis within the programme is on providing service users and staff with a framework and the necessary language to discuss social behaviours and boundaries, moving away from an emphasis on rules and regulations. The programme draws on visual supports of three nested circles, red indicating 'not ok', green indicating 'ok' and a central circle that is used to set the topic of discussion. Over a series of seven modules, adults with intellectual disabilities and their support staff are encouraged to collaboratively problem solve some of the behaviours and understandings that can undermine social acceptability and compromise personal safety. Based on positive outcomes over a five-year period, we highlight the need for further research to explore the effectiveness of the programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary This paper is a summary of research on the support people with disabilities get from their friends and family. The research is mostly about people with intellectual disabilities, but there is also some research on people with other disabilities. The main findings in the research are as follows: People with intellectual disabilities have small groups of supporters. These supporters are family, friends with intellectual disability and people who work in services., People with disabilities say that services could provide more support for making and keeping friends., There are projects that have helped people with disabilities make friends and be a part of their community. More research is needed on these projects., Policy makers, services and other people who deliver services should put more efforts into supporting people with disabilities to make friends in their community., Summary The purpose of this review was to identify the available evidence base on role of natural supports in promoting independent living for people with disabilities. A search of peer-reviewed literature identified 30 core papers and 16 contextual papers which addressed issues relating to natural supports and their role in facilitating independent living. The papers reveal that the evidence base is limited and focuses heavily on the social networks of people with intellectual disabilities, which typically comprise family, other people with disabilities using services and staff members. People with disabilities themselves call for greater support in establishing and maintaining social relationships in the community. Some initiatives such as peer-based support and befriending schemes are reviewed, mindful that few have been formally evaluated. The issue for policy makers is whether, following decades of deinstitutionalisation, efforts to physically locate people with disabilities within their local communities have come at the price of social inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are Lou Townson and Rohhss Chapman and we have a long history of working together and being friends. Together we are responding to our selected British Journal of Learning Disabilities article, The 'Two of Us' project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: Domestic violence abuse is when people hurt family members or partners with their words or actions, take their money or try to control them. It is against the law to do this. We wanted to know more about how many people with intellectual disabilities are being violent in their relationships. Forensic Community Learning Disabilities Team (CLDT) noticed more people were being referred to the team because they had been violent in their relationships. The Forensic CLDT looked at their referrals to see how many people were violent in their relationships. They also looked at referrals for their local Community Learning Disabilities Teams to see how many people were violent in their relationships. The research showed that more people who were referred to the Forensic CLDT needed help for violence in their relationships in 2015. The CLDTs also had referrals for people who were violent in their relationships. It is important to understand more about people with intellectual disabilities who are abusive in their relationships so we can help them. Abstract: Background: Domestic violence abuse (DVA) has been identified by the UK Government as a priority to address. Whilst there is a growing body of research into perpetrators of DVA from the mainstream population, there is scant research into perpetrators of DVA who have an intellectual disability. This lack of an evidence base suggests there may be a group of individuals for whom there is no suitable treatment approach. A Forensic Community Learning Disabilities Team (FCLDT) completed a multiservice evaluation of their service and sector CLDTs to obtain a measure of local unmet need. Materials and methods: A retrospective review was completed for referrals to the FCLDT and four of their sector CLDTs for 2014 and 2015. A record sheet was designed for the process of data collection and the analysis of referrals. Results: In regard to the FCLDT, 14% of the total referrals made to the FCLDT in 2014 referenced DVA perpetration and the figure rose to 26% in 2015. For CLDTs, 1.9% of the total referrals made to the CLDT in 2014 and 3.18% in 2015 referenced DVA perpetration. Conclusions: A significant proportion of referrals to the Forensic CLDT relate to the perpetration of domestic violence abuse. A proportion of Sector CLDT referrals made reference to behaviours that, according to the Home Office definition, would be classified as domestic violence abuse, but was infrequently referred to as such. The paper considers these findings in the light of the Home Office definition and its application to people with intellectual disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: Some clients in learning disability services have problems in their relationships with people. Some clients with learning disability have broken the law and live in hospital. For clients in hospital, treatment can be learning about managing behaviour, feelings and relationships.  This treatment is given by different professionals. This treatment is important to help stop these clients getting into trouble with the police again. An important part of treatment is to help clients understand their experiences in relationships. This case study is about Oliver, and how psychologists and an art therapist worked together to help him.​ Abstract: Background: Clients with attachment issues are over‐represented in learning disability services. Forensic inpatient services are no exception. Treatment pathways comprise multidisciplinary interventions, and skills‐based treatments are considered vital to recovery and maintenance of prosocial and adaptive behaviour and reduction in risk. An important aspect of treatment is the psychological intervention to enable clients to understand their early experiences and the way this may have impacted on later relationships and behaviour. Without exploring the difficult early lives that many clients in forensic inpatient services have experienced, skills‐based treatments and attempts to facilitate discharge may not be effective. Materials and methods: This case study presents the theoretical background of attachment, autism, learning disability and sexual offending that informed the collaborative multidisciplinary psychological treatment offered to one man with learning disabilities and autism in a secure forensic setting. Results: The introduction of Art Psychotherapy enabled the client to explore his history and the potential internal barriers to his therapeutic progress. Issues of safety and belonging, previously unexplored with this man, were uncovered and these themes were incorporated into his risk formulation and treatment plan. Conclusions: The paper reflects on the specific contribution of Art Psychotherapy in specialist services, and the importance of the collaborative relationship between the Art Psychotherapist and the ward Multi‐Disciplinary Team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary • This paper talks about what a group of people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland had to say about their experiences of relationships and sexuality, and the type of support they might like in this area of their lives. • Many people did not get enough information about sexuality. There were lots of things they did not understand properly and they wanted more information. • Many people wanted to have boyfriend and girlfriend relationships, but relationships were not allowed in their service. Some people had to have relationships in secret. • In Ireland it is against the law to have a sexual relationship with a person who cannot live without support, or protect themselves from abuse, unless you are married. • The law needs to be changed because some people with intellectual disabilities who need support in their lives are still capable of having sexual relationships and protecting themselves from abuse. • People with intellectual disabilities need better sexual information and need support to have their voices heard by government. How to translate the right of people with intellectual disabilities to a full sexual and intimate life into proactive support remains a challenge for disabilities services in Ireland. Little formal research has been undertaken in this country into what people with intellectual disabilities think about these issues and what they would like to see happen in this area of their lives. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the first author’s PhD research into the views and experiences of a small group of Irish people with intellectual disabilities in the area of sexuality and relationships. Initial findings suggest that people with intellectual disabilities are getting insufficient sex education and that changes are needed at a disabilities service level to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities can express their sexuality in an open and supportive climate. At a government level, changes will need to be made to Irish legislation concerning the sexuality of vulnerable adults so that this country is meeting its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). The authors argue that people with intellectual disabilities’ views must come first in all debates concerning their sexuality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the use of a new project, ‘from the inside looking out’ (FILO) (N. Richardson Unpublished data), to develop communication, interaction and emotional literacy skills with people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. The authors utilized tools derived from Intensive Interaction Therapy [D. Hewett & M. Nind (1994) Access to communication. London, David Fulton Publishers; D. Hewett & M. Nind (1998) Interaction in action: reflections on the use of Intensive Interaction. London, David Fulton Publishers] and applied these within a FILO paradigm to run an 8-week group with five participants where the aim was to build relationships and enhance awareness of emotional variables. The results were measured using both quantitative and qualitative analysis and it was found that a number of discreet observable behaviours related to interactive ability were positively changed across all participants. Important processes within the group are analysed and recommendations for expanding this approach in the future are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary This paper looks at the friendships of Ben, (not his real name), a 10-year-old boy with autism and learning disabilities, in his mainstream school., Ben was able to name his friends and showed that he understood some important things about friendship., Adults in the school said that Ben was very keen to have friends and that some of his friendships had lasted for over a year., The study focused on the importance of listening to children with autism and learning disabilities and on the need to highlight their social strengths., Summary Whilst progress has been made in understanding the friendships of children with autism, research on the friendships of children with additional learning disabilities remains extremely limited. In this research, a qualitative case study approach provided a rich description of the friendship concepts and capabilities of Ben, a 10-year-old boy with autism and severe learning disabilities within the context of a mainstream primary classroom in the United Kingdom. An innovative activity-based strategy was used to gain Ben's own perspectives in relation to friendship. Findings revealed that Ben exhibited a strong desire to have friends, believed himself to have some, demonstrated some understanding in respect of degrees of friendship and displayed a commitment to friendships over relatively long periods of time. Methodological, developmental and capacity perspectives informed the discussion, with a case being made both for a greater focus on the friendship capabilities of children with autism and learning disabilities and their more direct inclusion in the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary This paper looks at the views of paid- and family-carers about discussing health matters with people with learning disabilities., The author found that the roles of paid- and family-carers in monitoring health were not clearly defined., Explaining health problems and different medical tests to people with learning disabilities proved difficult., Nevertheless, carers possessed good skills in helping people with learning disabilities understand more about their health., Summary Changes in the living circumstances of people with learning disabilities have seen responsibility for their health become the provenance of paid-and family-carers. Thirteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with three family-carers and ten paid-carers. Findings revealed that the role of these carers was undefined, leading to difficulty in deciphering who was responsible for the health care of the people they supported, with some paid-carers claiming that health was outwith their remit. The difficulty of monitoring health problems of people with learning disabilities was noted, and carers disclosed skills and techniques that they used to explain health messages to individuals. If the health needs of people with learning disabilities are to be met, then a more consistent approach to health care within the community setting is needed, especially in terms of the remit of paid-and family-carers and with the integration of health and social services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Systemic practice is about working with all the people who are important in someone's life. Important people, such as friends and family, are seen as the 'system' around a person. This way of working does not see the problem as belonging to one person, but as belonging to the whole system., Psychodynamic psychotherapy is about trying to understand what's happened in someone's past and how this might be affecting their life today. People sometimes find themselves getting into the same difficulties in relationships again and again. This way of working tries to understand why the person has become 'stuck' in this way. The therapist will think about the client's feelings and wishes about their life and their relationships. They will also think about the relationship that grows between therapist and client. Talking about the relationship between therapist and client can help people to understand problems that they have in other relationships., This case study shows how psychological theory can help the therapist to decide what to do in therapy and how best to work with the client/s in understanding the problem., Summary This paper describes the process of couple therapy with a client who has a mild learning disability and cerebral palsy, and her partner, who also has cerebral palsy (all information has been anonymised and pseudonyms are used throughout). Informed consent was gained from both individuals for the purposes of writing about their case. Therapy spanned twelve sessions and was informed by systemic and psychodynamic ways of thinking. Formulations are discussed, and psychological theory is linked to what happened in the therapy room. The current study takes a reflective stance and discusses the process of therapy, which includes successes as well as pitfalls. Pertinent issues for people with learning disabilities are discussed in terms of power dynamics, the impact of physical disability, capacity to consent to therapy and the effects of abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have indicated that people with learning disabilities have few friends. Making friends requires both opportunities and skills. This paper focuses on the development of skills in order to facilitate friendship; an area that has received limited attention in the literature. Traditional social skills approaches are considered briefly, before moving on to discuss peer-mediated approaches. Peer-mediated approaches appear promising, with positive changes in the social behaviour of children with disabilities reported. It appears few studies have directly investigated maintenance, and evidence of generalization is limited. Factors that may improve generalization and maintenance are discussed. Finally, consideration is given to whether peer-mediated approaches actually facilitate friendship, rather than simply increasing interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports on the development and piloting of the Social Inclusion Interview Schedule (SIIS). This uses pictures to explore social networks and feelings of social inclusion. The background, conceptual framework and development of the interview schedule are discussed and interim findings are highlighted. The challenge of not just identifying the constituents of a social network but also attributing some measure of intensity to the relationships and activities identified will be considered. The study site is Bradford in the UK and the study population are young people with learning disabilities and their carers. There is a specific focus on people from the South Asian community resident in the city. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been considerable debate regarding whether people with a learning disability should be encouraged to develop friendships with disabled or nandisabled people and what influence this might have on their sense of identity. It is also increasingly recognized that the Personal Home Page is a useful tool for making contact with potential friends and for managing identity. This paper explores the extent to which people with Dawn's syndrome are using Personal Home Pages to make and maintain friendships and, thus, say something about the self-image they wish to portray. The Personal Home Pages of five Internet Service Providers were sampled and 16 Personal Home Pages of adults with Dawn's syndrome were found that referred in some way to friendships. A thematic analysis of these pages indicated that the authors could be attempting to present an image of themselves as someone who is capable of having friends. Analysis of the guest-book messages also revealed that the readers of the Home Pages were responding to these attempts at initiating a relationship. Further work needs to be done to develop the sampling methodology in order to enable further exploration of what influences the publication of these Home Pages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Before COVID‐19, people with intellectual disabilities were digitally excluded, facing difficulties accessing and using technology. The pandemic outbreak closed down many in‐person services and supports for this population. Methods: This study examined changes in technology use to support the healthcare and social connections of older adults with intellectual disability in Ireland (n = 682) during COVID‐19. Decision tree analyses explored factors associated with using technology for health and social connection; and to explore relationships between technology use and subjective outcomes of stress/anxiety and of positives during this period. Findings: Technology use for healthcare and social connection increased during COVID‐19, but not enough to make up for the loss of in‐person care/connection. Residence type was associated with increased use of technology for healthcare utilisation, with the highest rates among community group home residents and the lowest among those in independent/family settings. Increased technology use to speak with both family and friends was associated with prior digital skills and digital access. Increased technology use was significantly associated with both positive and negative experiences during the pandemic. Conclusions: The COVID‐19 pandemic offered an opportunity for increased digital connection for older adults with intellectual disabilities, but not all benefitted. Those with prior skills, available supports, and the greatest need to connect were more likely to enhance their use of technology. The complexity of the COVID‐19 period, including the general impact on mental health and well‐being, means that the role technology played in supporting quality of life and mitigating stress/anxiety needs further and longer‐term investigation. Accessible summary: Older adults with an intellectual disability in Ireland used technology more during the COVID‐19 pandemic—to use health services, and to speak to family and friends.Having digital skills before COVID‐19 helped people to increase their use of technology.Technology helped many people to stay connected, but did not fully make up for the loss of in‐person services and contact.Participants who used technology more during COVID‐19 were more likely to report some positive things during COVID‐19.Participants who used technology more were also more likely to feel stress or anxiety during COVID‐19.This shows that COVID‐19 was difficult for many people. But the study also shows that most people also found some good things during this time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: During the Covid‐19 pandemic, there has been a worldwide increase in the use of digital technology. Many people with learning disabilities have learned new digital skills, taken part in online activities, and kept in touch with family and friends using video calls. However, the experiences of digital participation or nonparticipation for the people with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) is less understood. Method: Between December 2020 and August 2021, family carers or paid support workers of adults with PMLD completed an online survey around the experiences of the person they care for during the Covid‐19 pandemic, including questions on Internet use. We draw on the findings of this UK‐wide study to explore the digital participation of the people with PMLD during the pandemic. Findings: Around half of the people with PMLD had Internet access at home. Around half of the participants interacted with others on video calls like Facetime or Zoom and most commonly used the Internet for being with family and friends online and streaming TV and films. In the event of another lockdown, 27.5% of the people supporting someone with PMLD said they would like support with technology to make seeing friends and family easier. For some the people, digital participation during the pandemic was not beneficial enough to want to continue when restrictions eased. For others, the new online experiences had the potential to be developed in their postpandemic lives. Conclusion: Around half of the people surveyed participated in digital activities during Covid‐19. Future attention is needed to afford more people opportunities, and respond to access barriers experienced for the people with PMLD and those that support them. Accessible summary: During the Covid‐19 pandemic, a lot of people with learning disabilities used the Internet more than they had done before. Before this research, we did not know very much about how people with profound and multiple learning disabilities might be able to use the Internet.Family carers or paid support workers of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities filled in an online survey about their experiences during the Covid‐19 pandemic. This included how people with profound and multiple learning disabilities used the Internet.The researchers found that around half of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities in the study had Internet access at home. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities mostly used the Internet for being with friends and family online and for streaming TV and films. Around half of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities used video calls (like FaceTime or Zoom).If there is another pandemic, and people cannot go out, more help with technology is needed so that people with profound and multiple learning disabilities can see their family and friends online. This is very important for people who do not live with family.Some people thought digital participation was useful during the pandemic, but they preferred to see people in‐person. For others, being online was a new way of being with other people that they wanted to carry on using or make better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 global pandemic has put adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities at greater risk of being socially excluded due to physical distancing. Technology has been looked at as a tool for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities to stay connected, however, little is known about this topic. The purpose of this study was to explore how a grassroots disability organisation used technology to help adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities feel socially connected during the pandemic. Methods: Data were collected through questionnaires, attendance records, and field notes; and analysed through trend and thematic analysis. Findings: Four main themes emerged from the data: active leadership, mental wellbeing, technology/digital inclusion, and safety. Conclusion: These findings suggest that when participants overcome technological barriers they found it easy to socially connect online during lockdown. Accessible Summary: This study helps us to understand how people with intellectual/developmental disabilities stayed connected with other people during the COVID‐19 pandemic.The study has been coauthored by people with intellectual/developmental disabilities to make sure their voices are included on this important topic about digital inclusion.The research project found that if given the opportunity people with intellectual/developmental disabilities can not only attend online events, but also organise and host their own online activities.The project also found that people with intellectual/developmental disabilities were able to build meaningful friendships online and feel empowered when leading their own online events.This study can help inform disability organisations on how technology can be used to support meaningful social inclusion for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study is inclusive research. Inclusive research is when people with disability are involved as researchers. The aim of this project was to focus on relationships that people with intellectual disability have and to find what makes these relationships work. Another aim of this project was to share stories about these relationships at a big event. Methods: People with intellectual disability that were interested in participating were asked to pick a person whose relationship was important to them. Overall, seven pairs took part in the project. We interviewed the pairs together and asked them: How did the relationship start?What makes the relationship strong?Why is the relationship important to each person? Later, participants were invited to turn their interview responses into a relationship story that was displayed as part of the 20th anniversary celebrations for the Centre for Disability Studies (CDS). Findings: We looked through the transcripts to find out how the relationships work. We found four major themes—relationships change over time, important parts of the relationship, relationship challenges, and what makes the relationship work. Conclusions: There were many successes in this project. It was the first time that Jack and Seren had done inclusive research together and we learnt a lot about how to work well together. The banners shown at CDS's 20th anniversary event celebrated relationships and showed members of the public a range of relationships involving people with intellectual disability. Accessible Summary: Our names are Jack and Seren and we are inclusive researchers.We asked seven people with intellectual disability to choose a person that is important to them.We interviewed each pair together and asked them what makes their relationship work.We turned people's interviews into stories which we displayed as banners at a special event.We found out some information about how relationships change over time, important parts of relationships, relationship challenges and how relationships work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Getting involved in your neighbourhood is important, but going places and meeting new people is not always easy.Using services locally and knowing what is on that you might join in with can sometimes be hard.Brothers and sisters told us what they think about this and how they may be able to help.People with intellectual disability told us how they feel about their brother or sister being involved in their lives. Background: With an international policy trend to close residential institutions, adults with intellectual disabilities are more likely to live in ordinary localities. However, this does not always equate with engagement, leading to forming new relationships and having a sense of connection to place. Social inclusion in neighbourhoods involves a complex interplay of facilitators and barriers. The role of nondisabled adult siblings as connectors for their sister/brother's social inclusion in their locality has received little research attention. This study explores the experiences of nondisabled siblings of offering support for local engagement and siblings with intellectual disability of being supported by their brothers/sisters. Methods: A multiple dyad case study methodology examined the experiences of 16 participants, made up of eight sibling pairs. Adults with moderate intellectual disability living in a range of neighbourhood types and their nominated sibling formed a self‐selecting sample. Each dyad took part in a series of three (individual and joint) interviews. Qualitative data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis in a four‐stage process that included individual, dyad and cross‐case analysis. Findings: Five themes were interpreted to explicate wide‐ranging experiences of the role of nondisabled siblings in supporting their brother/sister to be socially included in their locality, including the sibling role as shaped by the family context: the influence of push and pull factors and the influence of service providers on sibling engagement. Themes also reveal siblings' intentional and unintentional support for social inclusion and a range of factors that foster or hinder local engagement. Conclusions: The role of adult siblings in supporting engagement and as local connectors has potential as a resource that will contribute to the social inclusion in neighbourhoods of adults with intellectual disabilities. However, a range of factors exist that influence the nature of their involvement. Implications for practice and further research are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: The project aimed to explore discussions from the Personal Relationship Advisory Group (PRAG) meetings in a community adult learning disability team to influence the development of new relationship resources.All meeting minutes within a 12‐month period were analysed to find themes.The themes suggest the importance of the service looking at the whole person, such as their physical, emotional and social well‐being, when there are relationship concerns.New resources that focus on personal sexuality, different types of relationships and Internet safety may be of benefit to the service.Resources for carers may also be useful, such as helping carers to support people with learning disabilities to safely access relationships online. Background: Adults with learning disabilities often face barriers when accessing relationships and can require additional support. The Personal Relationship Advisory Group (PRAG) is a provision in a community learning disability service in North England, which offers multidisciplinary advice regarding relationship concerns. The current project aimed to identify common themes within PRAG to influence the development of new resources in the service. Materials and Methods: All meeting minutes within a 12‐month period were analysed using thematic analysis. There were a total of 16 minutes, which discussed 11 people with learning disabilities. This included six females and five males with a mean age of 30 (SD = 14.97). Results: Individuals often had limited opportunity to develop relationships. There was a lack of understanding of sex and of how to behave appropriately in different types of relationships, with a need for individualised, accessible education. The Internet was commonly used to seek relationships, with many concerns regarding safety from carers or family. There were some unhelpful responses from others, such as the implementing of restrictions. Factors that may have an impact on the person's overall well‐being, such as their health, social issues and trauma, were often discussed. Conclusions: The identified themes suggest the need for the service to take a holistic, biopsychosocial and individualised approach when supporting individuals with any relationship concerns. A multidisciplinary approach and collaboration with the individual and family/carers is key. It may be useful for the service to develop resources on topics such as personal sexuality, different types of relationships and Internet safety. Carer‐specific resources would also be beneficial, such as advice on how to safely support individuals to seek relationships on the Internet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: We wanted to understand more about how people with learning disabilities are building active community lives to help belonging.We spoke to 39 people from 29 different support organisations, 7 local authority representatives and 43 people with learning disabilities.They said belonging was about having the time to connect with other people in "everyday" places, being part of a supportive network and having the right choice and information.Belonging is like a cake. It needs the right ingredients. These ingredients include the right combination of people, places and times.Because of cuts to funding, many people with learning disabilities lack the right support, choice and information to access their communities. This is not belonging. Background: This journal article draws on findings from a research project that examined how people with learning disabilities and their allies were seeking to build a sense of belonging. We wanted to focus on the concept of "belonging" in the context of personalisation and reduced government social care funding. Specifically, we sought to understand how people with learning disabilities and their supporters were coming together to "self‐build" networks of support including friendship clubs and self‐advocacy groups to enable a greater sense of belonging in their local communities. Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with seven local authority representatives across four case study areas in the UK, as well as 39 staff across 29 organisations providing a range of day and evening support and activities. We also talked to 43 people with learning disabilities across the four areas about their experiences. Findings: Our findings demonstrate how belonging involves a complex configuration of actors, places, times, relationships and institutional roles (much like the ingredients in a cake). The ways in which belonging intersects with agency and choice was also identified as an important and novel finding of our study. Conclusion: While belonging is often presented to people as a desirable and realisable outcome of social inclusion policies, cuts in funding and a lack of appropriate support frustrate people's desires to meaningfully belong with other people in their local community. This demonstrates the importance of supporting social environments that meet people's needs for social connectedness and belonging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: History starts from where we are now ‐ it is not just things that happened a long time ago. The global pandemic began in 2019. It has changed the lives of people with learning disabilities. We began our project during the first lockdown in April 2020. We came together to set up a website to collect stories and support and learn from each other about how to survive and keep strong. Storytelling is very important because it helps us understand what is going on. It is also a way to capture the history of people with learning disabilities at a very difficult time. We know that thousands of people with learning disabilities became ill and died in the flu epidemic of 1918. But nobody recorded their stories in their own words. We want to make sure this does not happen again, so we created an archive to help us remember. Methods: The project was managed with an advisory group of people with and without learning disabilities who met monthly to monitor the collection and analysis of stories on the site. A site audit was performed regularly to determine the themes in the stories and who had submitted. The article describes the progress of the project, the stories we have shared, and the challenges we have faced. Conclusions: We discuss how people with learning disabilities have been presented in the media and our views about the way we are not heard, or always shown as vulnerable victims. We have found many sad stories, but also positive ones about people being creative and supportive. We look forward to the future and share our ideas about how society could be different and more inclusive. Being part of this project has given us confidence to know we are not alone, and shown us how we can help with the recovery. Accessible summary: This article is about the lives of people with learning disabilities during the Covid‐19 pandemic.It has only just happened, but it will be history for the next generation who will look at it and learn from it.In the article, we describe how our site, Surviving through Story, was set up.We share some of the stories and discuss the messages they have for us.How we wrote the article. Nicola Grove, Liz Tilley and Sue Ledger wrote the introduction and the conclusion and found references.We discussed the content between us. Individual sections were sent to Nicola to combine in the article.Nicola and Pat Charlesworth wrote the discussion and the accessible summary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Self‐determination means that people decide for themselves about their future. Self‐determination is very important in people's transition to adulthood and independent living.Six young adults talked with peers and facilitators about their transition to living in an independent‐living flat in Mexico.We wanted to learn what it was like for these young adults to transition to independent living.The young adults shared that: (a) It is their decision whether to move to an independent‐living flat; (b) They feel that living independently is challenging; (c) Learning new things at independent‐living contexts makes them feel good about themselves as young adults.Talking with young people about their independent‐living experiences is important for planning transitions according to their own strengths and interests.Talking to others can help people decide where and with whom to live. Background: Young people with intellectual disability experience important transitions as they move towards independent adult living. Transition is supported by self‐determination, comprising volition (making conscious choices) and agency (acting with intention). Dialogic interactions that legitimise students' voices potentially promote self‐determination. Consequently, this project aimed to involve young people actively in talking together about their futures. Methods: The research project took place in a university‐based transition programme in Mexico: Building Bridges. Six Mexican young adults with intellectual disability participated. The research project focused on their experiences of self‐determination in personal, social, and educational contexts. Data collection incorporated discussion sessions and participant observations. In discussions, students shared their experiences of transition to Building Bridges, and an independent‐living flat. A thematic analysis was conducted. Findings: The students' transition to Building Bridges was difficult, but they believed that they were learning and growing with support. Regarding their transition to the independent‐living context, the students perceive that whether to move or not is their decision, that independent living is challenging, and that the things they are learning make them feel good about themselves. Conclusions: Listening to students' views prompts consideration of how transition programmes could enhance their self‐determination. For instance, by reflecting and negotiating rules with them; or giving them options, such as sleeping at the flat one day per week initially. Self‐determination is exercised within the context of relationships. Creating spaces for dialogues that allows educators and/or researchers to learn and reflect with students might be a way to know and legitimise students' experiences, and plan transitions based on their strengths and interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Quality sex education is important for all students. It also helps with a successful transition to life after school.We talked to 11 Australian high school girls with intellectual disability. We wanted to know what they think about their sex education at school.The girls told us that they were often not included in Individual Learning Plan meetings. They were also not consulted about what they would like to learn in sex education.Sex education classes were largely inaccessible for them.Accessible sex education classes are important to prepare students for life after school. Background: Students with intellectual disability often do not receive holistic sex education, which is critical for their successful transition to post‐school life, including having an ability to make healthy choices about their sexuality and relationships. The aim of this inclusive research study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of sex education with Australian high school girls with intellectual disability, as they prepare for a transition to post‐school life. Method: There were 11 high school girls aged 13–20 years who participated in this study. Interviews were conducted and analysed using inductive content analysis. Findings: The findings indicate that critical topics such as gender and sexual identity, and masturbation are not sufficiently covered in sex education in New South Wales, Australia. The participating girls also highlighted ways in which teachers could make sex education lessons more accessible. Individual Learning Plan meetings, an important platform for transition planning, were attended by less than a third of the girls in this study. Conclusions: Comprehensive and accessible programmes on sex education for high school girls with intellectual disability are needed to promote successful transition to an autonomous life for these students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: People with severe and profound intellectual disabilities need others to support them in most areas of their life. It can be difficult to communicate with people about change and transitions have been identified as an area of concern.As part of this research, we spent time with six adults with severe and profound intellectual disabilities. We talked to their families and professionals about their transitions and how they were involved in decisions that were made. Relationships people had with family members and key staff facilitated their engagement and experiences of the world.Our findings show that it is important that those who know the person well are closely involved in the planning of transitions. There should be a greater focus on maintaining the relationships that people have so that we can build bridges between settings and improve transitions for people with intellectual disabilities. Background: Within the current literature, there is a focus on early transition experiences, such as people's school years, while adulthood remains a lesser researched chapter in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities. Furthermore, most studies focus on those with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities and people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities are often excluded from research. Methods: This article explores the transition journeys of six adults with severe intellectual disabilities, including transitions from school to adult services and moving out of the family home. Data collection involved observations, document reviews and interviews with families and professionals in Scotland. Taking an ethics of care perspective, our focus was to explore in how far each person had people in their lives able to listen to them and if, in turn, those close to them were listened to during times of transition. Findings: Our findings demonstrate that transitions are complex processes that occur across different systems. Additionally, our findings emphasise the importance to consider relationships that are available to people within their adult lives when planning and supporting transitions. Combining interviews with observations helped us to see how the six adults showed agency and were communicating their preferences through the relationships they had with people within their immediate environment. Conclusions: The need to reconceptualise participation from a relational and interdependent perspective is stressed to facilitate the involvement of people with severe intellectual disabilities within decision‐making processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: After they leave school, lots of young people with disabilities do not enjoy the good things in life such as going to college, having a paid job and meeting friends.Social role valorisation (SRV) theory says that in order to enjoy the good things in life, people need to have valued social roles.This project used SRV theory to help to plan for a good life for a 17‐year‐old student with a learning disability during her final year in school.As a result of the individualised supports she received, which were guided by SRV theory, Rutchelle gained many valued social roles including employee, commuter, gym member, girlfriend, consumer and adult. However, she still did not have as many relationships or as good a social life as other 18‐year‐olds. Most importantly, she did not have many choices about what she could do when she left school.The research shows that SRV theory is useful in transition planning, but that other theories such as inclusion and the social model of disability are very important if people with disabilities are to enjoy the good things in life. Background: Research suggests that, in spite of legislation, the process of transition from school is problematic for most young people with disabilities. Best practices in transition emphasise the importance of providing personalised transition supports. This study, which took place in Ireland, aimed to explore the application of social role valorisation (SRV) theory to the transition process for one school leaver with a moderate Intellectual Disability. Materials and Methods: A single case research design was used. Data was collected over a period of nine months through interviews, observations and document analysis. Thematic analysis based on SRV principles and themes was conducted to analyse the data. Results: This research found that, while the participant experienced many of 'the good things of life' by the end of the project, she had fewer relationships and a more limited social life than would be typical for an 18 year old. In addition, she was restricted in her post‐school choices in spite of her enhanced image, competencies and valued social roles. Conclusions: This study suggests that, while SRV theory is useful in guiding the transition process, it may need to be adapted in order to reconcile with more contemporary movements in the field of disability, such as the Social Model of Disability and Inclusion, if it is to become a guiding theory in the delivery of personalised supports during the period of transition from school to adult life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: Support staff play an important role in helping people with learning disabilities to meet a partner and have a relationship.Not getting good support can make it difficult for people to have a relationship.Many support staff want to help people to have a relationship, but are worried about people being abused. This is especially true for those who do not have a lot of staff support.Support staff do not always get good support themselves to help people with learning disabilities to have relationships, such as training and a policy to follow. This makes it hard for them to know what they are allowed to help with. Background: People with intellectual and developmental disabilities face challenges in developing and maintaining intimate relationships, frequently requiring support from staff. Method: Focus groups were conducted with 26 social care staff members to explore the support they provided to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to find a potential partner and/or develop an existing relationship. Results: Staff reported that many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities wanted to be in a relationship and that they did what they could to facilitate this, sometimes providing substantial support. Some staff had to address complex issues relating to sexuality, often with no training and with a lack of clear organisational policies. Conclusion: The need for external inspection and regulatory bodies to prioritise relationship support is emphasised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Dramatherapy groups are being used to help people with learning disabilities move from hospital back to their homes.The staff who support people to attend the groups talked about their experiences.The staff felt the groups help people stay well, build friendships and get support quickly if needed.The staff felt that the groups were helpful for themselves too as they felt supported and learned new skills. Background: The UK Government's Transforming Care Agenda for people with learning disabilities has struggled to meet its goals of reducing inpatient beds and building community‐based support. This article reports on the experiences of support staff who attended dramatherapy groups developed to assist transitions from an inpatient hospital and to prevent re‐admissions through post‐discharge support. The groups provide ongoing support and a place where relationships can be developed between supporter and those supported. Materials and Methods: A focus group with a purposive sample of paid support staff. The data was synthesised using a thematic framework approach. Results: Themes include: (a) new way of supporting and (b) hospital connection. The groups helped improve social interaction, friendship building, communication and self‐confidence. Additional benefits include the pooling of support and a connection with professionals that enables difficulties to be caught early. Conclusions: Support workers valued these dramatherapy groups, recognising how the intervention enabled people with learning disabilities to develop relationships and provide easy access to mental health professionals. Support staff also found benefits for themselves which included shared support and an increased understanding and insight into the people they support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: People with learning disabilities may need to receive support from social care professionals to make choices and to change things in their life.They may need to receive advice, but sometimes they prefer not to receive advice.Professionals must trust them when they try something new.It is important that professionals know what people with learning disabilities want and need to support them in a better way. It is important that they become aware of the importance to express what they want and what they need. Background: Intervention to increase self‐determination of people with learning disabilities is a major issue for social care practices. This study examines relational needs of people with learning disabilities regarding self‐determination in the context of the relationships they share with social care professionals. Method: We held focus group discussions to explore the relational needs of 10 residents and 10 educators at three facilities for people with learning disabilities located in the French part of Switzerland. Results: Relational needs expressed by participants with learning disabilities concern three distinct stages of the self‐determination process (pre‐choice, post‐choice and goal achievement). Conclusion: They suggest the importance of the relational quality of interventions aimed to enhance self‐determination of people with learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary People with learning disabilities talked about what it was like to move out of hospital. People talked about how important their relationships with other people were. People wanted to feel comfortable with new members of staff so that they felt safe and happy in their new home. People talked about how moving out of hospital changed how they thought about themselves. When they were in hospital, people sometimes thought that they were “bad.” But after they moved, some people started to think that they were a different person. It is important for everyone to think about how they talk to people when they are in hospital, and when they have moved out. People can do really well living in their own home, rather than in hospital. Abstract: Background: People with learning disabilities are moving out of hospitals as part of the Transforming Care programme, although thus far their views on how they have experienced this have not been researched. Materials and Methods: A qualitative design was used to explore how people with learning disabilities experienced moving as part of Transforming Care. Eleven people took part in semi‐structured interviews; they were supported by Key Support People (n = 9) who knew them well. A social constructionist Grounded Theory approach was used in analysis. Results and Discussion: People reported that their relationships with other people, including friends, family and staff, played a significant role in how they experienced the move. Moving was also an opportunity for people to shift their ideas about who they were as a person and opened up a wider array of stories about their identity. Conclusions: A number of recommendations are discussed, relevant for staff working in this field to support positive transitions out of hospital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Four people with learning disability talked about what it was like when someone they cared about had died. They said that it was important they were included, but that it was hard. They said they carried on loving the person after they died and that they missed them. Abstract: Background: Bereavement is a universal experience, yet little research has explored the lived experience of bereavement for people with learning disability (PWLD). Materials and methods: Four PWLD were interviewed about their experience of bereavement. Data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Four themes were identified: “Needing to know: Being included,” “Struggling to say: The emotional experience,” “Love after death: A continuing relationship” and “Missing their presence: The wider impact of death.” Conclusions: PWLD should have the opportunity to make informed choices about their level of involvement and to develop their emotional experience. PWLD should be supported to develop a continued bond with the deceased and the wider impact of their loss recognised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Behaviour that challenges among people with both an intellectual disability and hearing impairment or deafness is common. The aim of our study was to identify factors influencing behaviour (that challenges)., We used the Individual Behaviour and Observation Rating Scale to observe and rate behaviour during a period of one year. In this article, we focus on possible relationships between internal factors and behaviour that challenges., We found that social independence, delay of communication and comorbidity of an autism spectrum disorder are possible important risk factors in developing behaviour that challenges., This is important because in clinical practice, we should focus on daily care. Training should be aimed at stimulating social independence and communication skills. Individual training programmes aimed at these skills are therefore essential., Abstract Background: In this article, we describe our study of the prevalence of behaviour that challenges and which internal factors are related to behaviour that challenges in 21 people (fourteen are male, seven are female, varying in age from 12.4 to 42 years; mean 26.6, SD 7.27) with intellectual disabilities who have hearing impairments. Materials and Methods: Data were obtained by recording behaviour on a daily basis during one year using the 'Individual Behaviour Observation and Rating Scale' that was developed especially for this study. Results: It was found that 100% of the participants in this study showed behaviour that challenges, although this was not observed every day in each participant. Prevalence rates during a year varied from 1.8% to 77.3%. On average, the prevalence rate was 28.9%. We found a significantly negative correlation between behaviour that challenges and delay of communication as well as the level of social independence. We also found that in people with autism spectrum disorder, the prevalence of behaviour that challenges was significantly higher than in people without autism spectrum disorder. The level of intellectual disability as well as the level of hearing impairments was not related to the prevalence of behaviour that challenges. Conclusion: Because there are several patterns of increasing and decreasing behaviour that challenges throughout the day, it is not possible to draw one conclusion on this issue for the whole group. However, where certain individual patterns can be recognised, it is possible to make individual plans for the clients. This could mean an improvement in daily care and as a result an improvement in the quality of life for people with intellectual disability who have hearing impairments. Implications for clinical practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Both good and bad things can happen when people use the Internet, and people with learning disabilities are not using the Internet as much as other people., Worry about the bad things that can happen online might be one reason people with learning disabilities are not supported to access the Internet as much as other people., We wanted to find out what people without learning disabilities believe about these good and bad things for people with learning disabilities., We wanted to find this out because the way people without disabilities think about the good and bad things online might affect how people with learning disabilities are treated., We found out that people without learning disabilities think that both the good and bad things are more likely to happen to people with learning disabilities when they use the Internet., Abstract Background: Information and communication technologies, with the Internet at the forefront, have the potential to enhance the knowledge, service, employment, development and social interactional opportunities available to people with intellectual disabilities. Despite this, people with intellectual disabilities are not accessing the Internet to the same degree as people without intellectual disabilities. Issues of safety, risk and protection online for people with intellectual disabilities have yet to be adequately investigated, and these currently serve as reasons given for hindering people from gaining online access. Materials and Method: This survey aimed to gauge the views people without intellectual disabilities have of risks and benefits of using the Internet for themselves and for people with intellectual disabilities and to compare self-ratings of risk and benefits to ratings for people with intellectual disabilities. Results: The survey findings indicate that, with only a small number of exceptions, both the risks and benefits of being online were believed to be greater for people with intellectual disabilities compared with those without intellectual disabilities. Greater use of the Internet was associated with increased perception of benefits to being online for both people with intellectual disabilities and for participants. Conclusions: Perceptions of increased benefits suggest more needs to be performed to improve online access whilst a perception of increased risk may help to explain the reduced inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in the online world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary The Five Ways to Well-being is a document produced by the government which gives advice about things people can do to improve how they feel. These five things are being with people, being active, noticing things around you, to keep learning and giving to others., We taught a group of adults with learning disabilities how to do these five things. We had ten sessions which lasted 2 h each., We did not find that people felt better after the ten sessions, but we did find that they noticed more things around them which may help improve their well-being. People found the group useful., Abstract Background: The 'Five Ways to Well-being' document presents five ways in which people in the general population may be able to improve their well-being. This study evaluates the use of a 'Five Ways to Well-being' group in a population of people with learning disabilities. Materials and Methods: Twelve participants who attend a day support service engaged in a ten-week group programme based on the Five Ways to Well-being. Scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale provided a baseline, and scores at the first, middle and final session were entered into repeated measures analysis of variance or nonparametric equivalents. Results: Scores suggest there was no difference between baseline and final session on either of these scales ( P > 0.05). There was a significant difference between baseline and final session on a clinician-devised measure of well-being of the aims of the group (F(2,18) = 3.6, P = 0.049), and this effect is likely to be carried by an increase in the group's use of mindfulness skills. Qualitative feedback suggests that the group was useful and prompted changes in participants' well-being. Conclusions: Participants found the group useful, and scores suggest an increase in mindfulness practice, but there is no evidence that running a Five Ways to Well-being group with people with learning disabilities will improve their well-being. However, this was not a clinical group of people with mental health concerns, and conclusions cannot be made about the usefulness of the model in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary To find out why standards of care might vary in residential homes for adults with learning disabilities, this study describes the experiences of six care workers currently working in residential homes., Each care worker took part in an interview where they were asked to talk about their jobs in detail., Three things were found to be important aspects of care workers experiences: the quality of their relationships with others; their levels of motivation for their work; and their feelings about the environments they worked in., The study discusses how each of those things can lead to variations in care standards., Summary Research evidence reveals that adults with learning disabilities who live in residential care facilities are being exposed to considerable variation in the standards of care they receive. High profile cases of substandard care have also raised concerns regarding the appropriateness of existing care provisions and practices. While attempts have been made to understand variations in care standards, there remains a need for more research in this area. Additionally, little attention has been paid to understanding support staff experiences of working in residential services and to developing a more theoretical understanding of the role they fulfil. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis ( IPA), this study aimed to examine front-line staff members' experiences of working in residential care for people with learning disabilities. Six experienced front-line care workers (four female, two male) took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed according to the principles of IPA, and three superordinate themes were identified as being central to participants' experiences of their work roles: Degree of Positive Relationship Reciprocity; Value Congruence and Intrinsic Motivation; and Experiences of Environmental and Organisational Constraints. Results are discussed in relation to the existing literature on care standards and the factors associated with abusive or neglectful practices, and in terms of their contribution to theory and applied practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary • We have set up a group at our service who are doing research. • We decided on three things that were important to us to find out about: relationships, transport and holiday breaks, and personal social histories. • In this article we write about relationships. • We have shared stories, talked with other people and have made plays to get people to think about relationships and leaving home. • We have also gone on national radio to talk about this issue [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary The relationship between brothers and sisters starts from infancy and is possibly the longest lasting relationship., Many people with Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD) remain within the family home and are cared for by their family., This article describes a sister's experience of growing up with her brother who has ASD, Summary People with Autism Spectrum Disorder ( ASD) are born into families and influence family functioning both positively and negatively. One of the most enduring relationships a person with ASD will have is their relationship with a brother or sister. Services for people with ASD should provide effective support to families, which include brothers, sisters, parents and broader family members and address the needs of the family as a whole in a holistic manner. This article outlines one sister's experience and reflections of growing up with her brother who has ASD. The article gives a voice to a sibling's experience and highlights the importance of brothers and sisters as part of the family unit in assisting parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary People who get paid to support people with intellectual disabilities need to understand what is important to people with intellectual disabilities and how to help them get what they want. We asked people with intellectual disabilities and people paid to support them about what is important to people with disabilities and how people with disabilities can get what they want. We learned that: The people with intellectual disabilities whom we talked to knew what they wanted., The support people that we talked to had a hard time figuring out what people with intellectual disabilities wanted and how they could help them get what they wanted., The support people that we talked to said that some of the rules at their jobs made it hard to help people with intellectual disabilities to do what they wanted., Nearly everyone we talked to said that it was important to support people with intellectual disabilities in a caring way., Summary This study from the south-western United States investigated the perceptions of persons with intellectual disability receiving support and of persons providing support regarding the autonomy of people with intellectual disability. The participants included 10 people with intellectual disability and 10 support workers. Through interviews, this qualitative investigation examined issues related to autonomy in support services. Analysis of participant interviews revealed that support workers and people with intellectual disability faced challenges that restricted the promotion of the autonomy of people with intellectual disability. Both groups of participants noted that support workers had to care about their work with individuals with intellectual disability to effectively promote their autonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]