Learning Disability week 2021 is 14th – 20th June and at Advanced CCA, we want to celebrate the strides that have been made to bring about awareness and acceptance for millions of adults and children throughout the UK. One week is not enough however and there is still a long way to go before society understands fully, the discrimination and prejudice that individuals with a learning disability face every day. This can lead them to experience low self-esteem and self-worth and consequently, to experience mental health problems.
A week of celebration is a great way to raise awareness but this year is more important than ever. We have all experienced the isolation of being separated from family and friends and the emotional lows of lockdown, but for people who experience learning difficulties, the past 15 months have been particularly difficult. Not only have their personal supports been removed but also practical supports, often necessary for them to be able to function effectively on a day-to-day basis.
The theme for 2021 is Art and Creativity. For many people with a learning disability, the use of arts, crafts and music offers them a way to connect with others, reduces the isolation they feel and helps them to grow in confidence.
Our own involvement with parents who have learning difficulties is at a time of extreme vulnerability and anxiety. We work closely with parents, using a range of creative and visual aids, in order to engage them with assessment and enable them to demonstrate strengths that would not necessarily be recognised otherwise. We have developed our own resources to complement assessment and elevate the standards and our commitment to providing fair and balanced reports for every parent.
We have included links below to resources for parents and children with learning disabilities:
