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Supporting People with Learning Disabilities Policy

Policy Statement

This care service is committed to promoting the rights and interests of people with learning disabilities in line with national and local policies and strategies. It considers that it is always important to challenge the general perceptions of people with learning disabilities as being “different” from other people and the stereotypes and prejudices that accompany such perceptions.

The service’s policies emphasise the rights and needs of every person to have a life that affords the same opportunities for community living and development as anyone else in society.

The service seeks to promote equality, social inclusion, anti-discrimination and anti-stigma for all of the people we support. In line with this, it challenges any actions that could result in any person being unfairly treated, discriminated against or stigmatised on account of their learning disability.

At the same time, it makes sure that all vulnerable adults are fully safeguarded from abuse and exploitation and takes all the necessary actions to keep people safe if abuse is suspected.

The service helps anyone who lacks mental capacity to take all necessary decisions in line with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

The service seeks to apply “ordinary living” principles in all aspects of daily life by providing its people with opportunities to make choices and generally follow their own preferred lifestyle. Its approach to the assessment of people’s needs and personal development plans follows closely recognised person-centred values, principles and processes.

The service recognises that each person’s needs are different and are addressed in relation to their individual aspirations and goals. It encourages and supports people to develop their abilities to look after themselves and achieve greater independence and freedom.

All such aspirations and goals are included in the person’s plan of care, which is developed with their full involvement, together with the means by which the person can achieve their chosen goals. The service undertakes to provide each person with the support and resources they need to promote their individual development and to achieve their goals.

The service addresses behaviour that might challenge staff in ways that are consistent with its person-centred principles, fully assessing the reasons and developing strategies that are aimed at reducing the behaviour that challenges. The aim is always to help the person interact with others and to improve their social skills and development.

The service is committed to developing the services, facilities and resources that are needed by people to develop their personal, practical, social, emotional, communication and independent living skills.

The service uses the resources of its staff, the services of therapeutic agencies and professionals and a wide range of community resources such as further and higher education, employment services, etc to contribute to the development of people using its services.

The service is constantly seeking new ways of enabling people with learning disabilities to meet their personal goals. It encourages them, where they are interested and able, to share their experiences as people who use services with others, including service providers and professionals and to become involved in people-led consultation and training initiatives.

The service recognises the risks of closed cultures emerging in all kinds of services, and that this of particular concern when supporting people with a learning disability [in a residential context].

In these ways, the service believes that it is able to achieve high standards of care, which are consistent with best practice guidance on person-centred care and support.

Staff Supervision and Training

All staff are offered regular supervision to help and support them in their relationships with people using the services.

The service believes that it is vital that its staff are able to engage with and establish constructive professional relationships if they are to help people achieve their personal goals. Ongoing support and regular supervision are important means to enable staff to work effectively with people using their services on these issues as key workers and as members of the team.

The Health and Care Act (2022) introduced a requirement that all regulated health and social care service providers must ensure their staff receive training on learning disability and autism, appropriate to the person’s role.

This service meets the requirement to provide training for staff in learning disability and autism, including how to interact appropriately with autistic people and people who have a learning disability, at a level appropriate to their role.

It also includes training on closed cultures, and ensures new staff how to escalate concerns within and outside of the provider organisation.

All new staff receive induction training in line with the applicable standards framework and are encouraged to work towards further qualifications through the current qualifications’ framework pathways and specialist learning disabilities training.

All staff are expected to be fully committed to the service’s philosophy and values on person-centred approaches to people with learning disabilities.

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