What are Learning Disabilities
Learning disability is a lifelong condition and not an illness as such, although it may be accompanied by physical, psychological and psychiatric illness and disability. The term encompasses a range of conditions and levels of severity. Many people with learning disabilities can be integrated into, and make a positive contribution to a wider society.
There are critical periods in the life of a person with a learning disability, where additional speech and language therapy intervention may be needed. For example, primary to secondary school, death of a member of the family, etc.
As part of all service delivery, there is emerging practice and developing roles. Within learning disability, this might include building capacity in other services and the wider community and helping services to make reasonable adjustments.
Autism
If you are concerned about Autism, please click here
Total Communication Training
Total communication is an approach to communicating which encourages the use of other forms of communication to simply spoken language. These four Total Communication training videos will help you to understand how children learn to understand and use language and strategies you can use to help them to understand and communicate. Total communication is essential in communicating with children and young people with speech language and communication needs.
Part 1: What is communication?
Part 2: Development of communication.
Part 3: What is Total Communication?
Please see our ‘How to’ Videos for further support
Further Information
Lots of our information has been taken from the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RSCLT) website – https://www.rcslt.org/speech-and-language-therapy/clinical-information/learning-disabilities/#section-1
> Action for Children
> British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD)
Information about SEND
> Devon’s Local Offer for SEND information on services and how to access them https://new.devon.gov.uk/send
> Devon Information, Advice and Support Service (DIAS) – for legally based and easily accessible information about Education, Health and Social Care. 01392 383080 email: devonias@devon.gov.uk www.devonias.org.uk
> Quids for Kids (Q4K) – free entitlement check and confidential advice 0300 5000 404 www.cabdevon.org.uk
> Devon Carers – A free information, advice and support service for carers. Call 03456 434 435 or go to: www.devoncarers.org.uk
Ideas for playing and interaction
> Tiny Happy People https://www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people
> People games http://www.hanen.org/Helpful-Info/Articles/R-O-C-K–in-People-Games–For-Children-with-ASD-or.aspx)
> Something special – Mr Tumble https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/something-special
Signing Resources
> Makaton online – https://www.makaton.org/
> free resources: https://makaton.org/TMC/Free_resources_.aspx
> sign of the week https://makaton.org/TMC/The_Makaton_community/Sign_of_the_Week.aspx
> Signing/Makaton with Linda https://www.facebook.com/MakatonwithLinda/?fref=mentions&__tn__=K-R
> Sharon and Nai’s signing choir https://sharonnnaismakaton.co.uk/
Other resources:
> See and learn programmes are used with children with Down Syndrome to support learning language and literacy. https://www.seeandlearn.org/en-gb/
> ASD Bright Ideas produce a wide range of bright and colourful visual aids and resources http://www.asdbrightideas.co.uk/asd/
> Chatter Pack for ADHD, Autism, Speech and Language and SEND related issues. https://chatterpack.net/
Groups:
> Devon Parent Carers Voice (DPCV) – forums and events call 07794 233249 or email: office@dpcv.org.uk
> Down South (parent-led group) https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/support-group/downsouth/
> Fipcan (parent led group) https://services.actionforchildren.org.uk/torbay-childrens-centres/what-we-do/groups/fipcan/
> Side by Side Taw & Torridge Parent Support Group – contact: sidebysidebarnstaple@outlook.com
> Parent Carer Support Groups across the county https://devoncarers.org.uk/carers-support-groups/
> NAS Exeter and East Devon Branch – A monthly parent support group for mutual support, the group has bi-monthly speakers. For more details contact: Penny Palmer or Ursula Easton-Pool by email: exeter@nas.org.uk
> North Devon Forum for Autistic Spectrum Conditions and ADHD – contact 07923 481332 email: info@ndfautism.co.uk http://ndfautism.co.uk/
> Okehampton Autism/ADHD support group https://www.communitylinks-sw.co.uk/events/ email: info@communitylinks-sw.co.uk or Tel: 07808 523111.
> South Devon Autism Forum – contact positivelyautistic@gmail.com
> The Exeter Parent Carer Network Tel: 07981 815226 or Email: info@exeterparentcarer.co.uk website: http://exeterparentcarer.co.uk/
> Apple Tree Farm Service CIC – sessions for children with SEND aged 7+ https://www.facebook.com/APPLETREECAREFARM/
Other groups – East, West, Mid and North Devon https://services.pinpointdevon.co.uk/kb5/devon/services/results.action?qt=additional+needs&communitychannel=11_4&term=&sorttype=relevance&spradius=&sr=0&nh=10
Other groups – Torbay and surrounding area http://sendiasstorbay.org.uk/clubs-and-activities-for-children-and-young-people-plus-support-groups-for-parent-carers/
Children’s centre groups
Parents can contact their local children’s centre to find out more about the following groups for preschool children with additional needs
> Step by step
> Incredible years
> Incredible years autism
Helplines
> Daisy chain – autism help line – 0800 031 5445 https://www.daisychainproject.co.uk/telephone-support-service-covid-19
For information on specific conditions and syndromes:
> Scope https://www.scope.org.uk/
> Down Syndrome https://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/
> Rare diseases website https://rarediseases.org/
> Contact a family https://contact.org.uk/
> Afasic voice for life https://www.afasic.org.uk/
> Brain Injury https://childbraininjurytrust.org.uk
> Autism https://www.autism.org.uk
> Cerebral Palsy https://www.cerebralpalsy.org.uk
> Learning disability https://www.mencap.org.uk
> Children with brain conditions and their families https://cerebra.org.uk
> Undiagnosed genetic conditions https://www.undiagnosed.org.uk
Learning disability and wellbeing
> Mental health in children and young people with learning disability https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/sites/default/files/children-and-young-people.pdf
> Information about bullying https://www.kidscape.org.uk/resources/
Support with early feeding
> Infant and Toddler Forum https://infantandtoddlerforum.org/
> little people’s plates https://www.facebook.com/TinaRintoulChildrensCentre/posts/little-peoples-platesfeeding-a-toddler-well-is-a-wonderful-challenging-responsib/286110408155906/