What is a Learning Disability Fact Sheet Downloads The Reality Supported Employment Support for Employers Find local support
What is a Learning Disability?
Learning Disability is a term used to describe the difficulties that some people have in learning things that other members of society are likely to learn at key stages of their lives.
Some people are born with certain impairments that restrict or reduce their ability to learn as quickly or as readily as others.
Learning disability should not be thought of as an illness, but a permanent condition, although in some cases an illness can be associated to the condition.
Some people can be much more affected than others, these people may require help with aspects of daily living, whereas those with mild disabilities can usually live with less support.
Valuing People, the Government’s Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century, defines learning disability as:
"A significant reduced ability to understand new or complex information, to learn new skills (impaired intelligence) with a reduced ability to cope independently (impaired social functioning) which started before adulthood with a lasting effect on development."
This definition encompasses people with a broad range of disabilities. The presence of a low intelligence quotient, for example an IQ below 70, is not, of itself, a sufficient reason for deciding whether an individual should be provided with additional health and social care support.
An assessment of social functioning and communication skills should also be taken into account when determining need. Many people with learning disabilities also have physical and/or sensory impairments.
The definition covers adults with autism who also have learning disabilities, but not those with a higher level autistic spectrum disorder who may be of average or even above average intelligence – such as some people with Asperger’s Syndrome.