Discuss The Impact Of Legislation On Individuals With Learning Disabilities

This legislation influences individuals with learning disabilities and their families because it protects their rights and promotes equality. It gives individuals a better chance to live a full life without restrictions or being discriminated against, because of their disability
A learning disability is a significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills along with a reduced ability to cope independently. A learning disability can be caused by a problem during birth, genetics, brain injury, cerebral palsey, meningitis and down’s syndrome.
The medical model is the diagnosis of their learning disability labelling the individual as dependent on society and wont fit in. The social model is where society is the problem and creates barriers that prevent individuals from fitting in.
The approximate proportion of individuals with a learning disability for whom the cause is ‘not known’ is 25%.
The impact on a family having a member with a learning
Up until the 1970’s people with learning disabilities were not treated very well, being kept in institutions where they were kept in poor conditions and often abused. Over the next thirty years we have seen the last of the institutes close down. Individuals with LD are housed in the community where they get direct payments, free travel on public transport and personal cars provided. Some employment is also offered to people with LD. Healthcare has also improved as it’s recognised that individuals with LD often have other serious medical conditions as a result of their disability. Day services are provided supporting individuals to interact with the community at social events, creating relationships and learning social skills. The past ways of working have affected present services because they are a lot better, as society realise that people with LD should not be treated