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-...

News. A family-led group have launched a new campaign to halt the closure of village communities for people with a learning disability. They say new communities cannot be built because of a one-sentence loophole in Care Quality Commission guidance. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/new-cam...

News. According to a new report from the King's Fund, carers and patients with long-term health conditions are significantly more likely to experience issues with NHS admin and communication that impact their care. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/poor-nh...

News. Young adults with learning disabilities are nine times more likely to die of treatable causes, according to new research from the University of Glasgow www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/prematu...

We're excited to launch our new campaign! A NICE Life - Ending the premature mortality of people with a learning disability and autistic people. Find out more and sign the pledge learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/ldt-campaign/ #ANICELife #HealthcareForAll

News. People with learning disabilities and autistic people in Scotland are still being held in institutions in breach of their human rights, according to a new report from Scotland’s human rights watchdog. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/no-prog...

News. The National Down Syndrome Policy Group and over 61 organisations representing the interests of disabled people across the UK have written an open letter raising concerns about the potential impact of legalising assisted dying. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/nationa...

Our next #Dementia Special Interest Group meeting is 18 March where the theme will be #Communication. Details & sign-up: www.macintyrecharity.org/events/demen... @learningdiseng.bsky.social @learningdisability.bsky.social @vodgmembership.bsky.social @arcengland.bsky.social @dementiauk.bsky.social

Debate. With the indefinite delay to the implementation of the Liberty Protection Safeguards, Vocal Advocacy asks how people can identify when a deprivation of liberty may be taking place using the current system www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/legisl...

News. Caroline, who has a learning disability, was initially told that there was “no treatment” for her cancer. On #WorldCancerDay, she celebrates taking control of her health decisions with the help of SeeAbility and getting the all-clear. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/woman-w...

News. Preventable deaths of autistic people caused by lack of understanding and gaps in specialist support, new research finds. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/news/prevent...

New. The death of Olaseni Lewis in 2010 after being restrained face down at a mental health unit by up to 11 police officers led to tough new guidance to end the practice. However, new figures show it is still widely used across England. www.learningdisabilitytoday.co.uk/topic/challe...