Incoming...the summer issue of In Focus digital magazine is out soon! Make sure you're registered to the LDT website to access all issues for free. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/digital-issue/

We are very sorry to announce that our Leaders' Awards ceremony will not take place on Thursday. As forecast temperatures are expected to reach around 37°C, we've taken the difficult decision to postpone until Autumn 2026. Thank you for cheering on everyone who entered. #leadersawards

We can't wait and we're counting down to the 8th Leaders Award!

Thank you to all who joined us for the live book launch of Non-violent resistance and neurodiversity. The webinar and slides are now available to view at learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/events/past-... Sign in or register at learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk to access! #Neurodiversity #NVR #NVRParenting

It's 1 week until our FREE webinar how to manage difficult behaviours using non-violent resistance in families with neurodiverse members. Learn about flexible, relationship-centred strategies and sign up at www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/events/futur...

New article. Autism, motherhood and detention under the Mental Health Act. In this interview, Alexis Quinn shares her experiences of detention as an autistic person and her perspectives on the new legislation. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/legisl... #mentalhealth #MentalHealthAct

It's less than a week until our free webinar with Alexis Quinn on 29 April. All LDT webinars are recorded, so if you can't make the live date, please still register as all registrants will receive the webinar recording to watch back! Book at www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/events/futur...

Have you registered for our webinar with Alexis Quinn on how to end inappropriate detentions? The webinar will discuss practical steps that systems can take to reduce inappropriate detention and improve community support pathways. Register for free www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/events/futur...

We're excited to share that with Pavilion Publishing we're hosting a FREE online webinar on non-violent resistance and neurodiversity. The webinar, introduces NVR as a therapeutic, parent-focused approach for neurodivergent families. Find out more learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/events/futur...

Tomorrow is the closing day to enter the Leader's Awards, sponsored by Learning Disability Today. Do you have a learning disability or autism? Have you been involved in a project that has made a difference? Want to shout about it? Then enter below. 👇 www.leaderaward.co.uk/how-to-enter...

We're super excited Alexis Quinn is speaking about how to end inappropriate detention of people with learning disabilities and autistic people at our webinar on 29 April. How do we shift from crisis-led institutional care to community-based support? Find out more and book a place at bit.ly/4l5OC3P

News. A new study by Bournemouth University has found that earlier diagnosis and tailored mental health support for autistic people can reduce suicide risk. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/timely-...

😊 Do you know someone awesome that you always tell people about? Nominations for the 2026 #DimensionsLeadersAwards open soon... [Image of Kermit the frog waiting to use a lap top that says "I can't wait to tell the Leaders' Awards all about you."]

Our office closes on 22nd December 2025 and opens again on 2nd January 2026. Until then we wish everyone a very enjoyable festive season. See you in 2026!

The new December issue of In Focus magazine the health issue is out now! To access our FREE digital magazine sign in/register at www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk Thank you to @jimgblair.bsky.social @dimensionsuk.bsky.social and all of our contributors for helping to make the last issue of 2025!

A big thank you to @stephenunwin.bsky.social and @jimgblair.bsky.social and all the participants who attended our webinar - Learning disabilities from hospitals to humans. The recording is now on the LDT website for ALL to watch - an absolute must! Please sign in/register to LDT at bit.ly/4pk4h0q

We can't wait for our webinar - learning disabilities from hospitals to humans with @jimgblair.bsky.social and @stephenunwin.bsky.social The webinar will draw on Stephen's new book - Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong. Register for free at bit.ly/4pk4h0q

News: Only 4.8% of people with a learning disability are in paid employment, according to the landmark Keep Britain Working Review by Sir Charlie Mayfield. It highlights significant barriers not only to finding employment but also to sustaining it. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/only-5-...

News: A national crisis exists in community disability equipment services, according to a new report by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Access to Disability Equipment. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/nationa...

Debate: The Government has decided to postpone its Schools White Paper until early next year as it continues to decide how best to address the SEND crisis. But what will this delay mean for families and professionals in the sector? www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/education/se...

NEW: Our health campaign began by asking YOU three key questions. We examine the responses to the first question: what could be included in NICE/SIGN guidance to end premature mortality of people with learning disabilities and autistic people. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/nice-campaig...

The new issue of In Focus - the ageing issue is available to download at learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/digital-issue/ Sign in/register to the LDT website for gratis access! Thank you to @dimensionsuk.bsky.social @bild.org.uk et al for contributing articles to the latest issue.

It's 1 week until our FREE webinar with @dimensionsuk.bsky.social Learn about two very different approaches to increasing independence through Individual Service Funds and forensic rehabilitation. Book at www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/events/future-events/

News: The Down’s Syndrome Association is conducting a survey to examine the educational experiences of children with Down’s syndrome who currently attend primary and secondary schools in England. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/downs-s...

News: The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has urged the Welsh Government to commit to clear targets and deadlines for enhancing disabled people’s rights, as its current plan risks “becoming symbolic." www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/ehrc-sa...

Debate: Trapped in hospital: how a shortage of community housing has contributed to a human rights scandal for people with a learning disability and autistic people www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/housin...

Debate: Learning Disability Week - the real issues From welfare and SEND reform to preventable deaths and assisted dying, numerous issues are adversely affecting people with learning disabilities. What would you add to the list? www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/debate/learn...

News: The Joint Committee on Human Rights says further reform and community support are crucial to ensure the Mental Health Bill ends the unjustified detention of autistic people and people with learning disabilities. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/mental-...

Debate: Baroness Sheila Hollins shares her hopes for the future of people with learning disabilities. This begins with a cultural shift: we stop saying we can't and instead look for positive stories to inspire us. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/health...

Viewpoint: Is the Casey Commission on social care yet another missed opportunity? Stephen Veevers of Hft warns that the sector will not survive in a decade unless something changes — and soon. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/policy...

Debate: Should learning disabilities be separated from autism in healthcare policy? Autism and learning disabilities are grouped in healthcare policies because of their high co-occurrence rate, even though they are entirely different. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/debate/is-it...

Debate: How vulnerable are autistic youngsters to falling under the spell of violent extremism? www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/debate/are-a...

News: New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) indicates that one in 31 children in the United States is diagnosed with autism before the age of eight. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/autism-...

Debate: Young autistic people and those with learning disabilities recently gathered for a landmark Youth Parliament in Westminster to advocate for greater employment opportunities, rather than solely focusing on welfare reform! www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/employment/h...

News: The Challenging Behaviour Foundation has said it is “extremely concerned” that an investigation into a Leeds school found “no case to answer” after a child was held in a prone restraint within a seclusion room. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/restrai...

News: Young people with special educational needs (SEN) face significantly higher rates of discrimination and bullying compared to their peers, which results in poorer outcomes for mental wellbeing, according to a new report from #BeeWell www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/young-p...

News. To mark World Autism Day and World Autism Acceptance Month, the National Autistic Society has launched a new campaign that highlights how the general public can make autistic people feel more accepted. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/nas-lau...

Debate. The UK government recently announced a £1 billion investment in tailored employment support for disabled people. Campaigner Michael McEwan examines the disability employment gap in Scotland and suggests ways to improve barriers. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/employment/h...

News. A new report from @Autism highlights the challenges that some autistic individuals face with independent travel and offers recommendations for improvement. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/new-rep...

Debate: Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her Spring Statement, with a £4.8 billion reduction in welfare spending for sick and disabled people among the headline announcements. So, what does this Spring Statement mean for disabled people? www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/policy...

News. Welfare cuts will hit over three million families and push 250,000 people into poverty, government analysis shows. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/welfare...

Debate. After weeks of speculation, the government finally announced its plan to overhaul the welfare system with the biggest cuts to disability benefits on record. But what do they mean for people with a learning disability? www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/policy...

News. The number of autistic children who are classed as “severely absent pupils” has more than doubled since 2019, according to new data from the Department for Education. Young carers, on average, also miss out on a month of education. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/autisti...

News. Scotland further rolls out its new Pension Age Disability Payment, saying it is committed to ensuring everyone gets the financial support they’re entitled to, despite the UK Government’s recent announcement on welfare. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/new-pen...

News. A coalition of disability charities has said it is the “height of contempt” that the government is asking disabled people to consult on life-changing new welfare benefit laws without providing accessible formats. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/lack-of...

We have submitted the Learning from Lives and Deaths (LeDeR) 2023 report to NHS England a few months ago, where it is now undergoing it’s final checks. We are unable to say when it will be published, but we will announce it on here when it is available.

News. A new report from The Kings Fund found rising staff costs are leading to fewer people receiving social care support www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/fewer-p...

News. Scientists have developed a new artificial intelligence model that can predict how long a person with a learning disability needs to stay in hospital, which could help improve care and reduce health inequality. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/new-ai-...

Debate. ADHD: how to restore confidence in the diagnosis Efforts to reduce bottlenecks in ADHD assessments have led to criticisms over falling standards. Now, medics suggest it is time to impose standards to restore confidence in the diagnosis. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/debate/adhd-...