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Parents with learning disabilities and speech and language therapy. A service evaluation of referrals and episodes of care
Author(s) -
Stansfield Jois
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.2011.00690.x
Subject(s) - referral , learning disability , audit , service (business) , population , psychology , medicine , family medicine , nursing , medical education , developmental psychology , business , accounting , environmental health , marketing
Accessible summary• Some people with learning disabilities are parents. • Sometimes, it is hard to understand and explain things when you are a parent. • Speech and language therapists can help parents to understand and explain things.Summary The speech and language therapy (SLT) service in an area of northern England receives referrals of parents who have learning disabilities. The aim of this study was to identify current referral patterns and quantify the level of demand upon the SLT service from this relatively new referral population to enable to service to meet the needs of these clients. Data covering a 24‐month period was collected. The SLT clinical database was interrogated to establish the number of parent referrals, and a case note audit was carried out to identify the reason for referral and number of contacts. Results indicted that over a fifth of referrals during that period were of parents, including a relatively high proportion of young women. The SLT service in the area appears to be seen by referrers as a source of support for people with learning disabilities who are or are about to become parents. Several referrals were related to the imminence of court cases, while others reflected the possibility of supporting parents to increase their communication skills to be good enough parents. The level of demand on the service suggests an increase in people who are experiencing communication challenges resulting from their opportunities to live an ordinary life as parents.