Mental health resources provided for people with a learning disability

Skills for Care is providing new resources to ensure staff are able to offer mental health support to people living with a learning disability.

The resources, which are being launched as part of Learning Disability Week (June 17-23), include a video sharing top tips for talking about mental health, two posters about what makes people anxious and happy, and a wellbeing journal.

The support, which is designed to prompt and facilitate conversations about mental health, was created following five sessions with people with learning disabilities and staff run by Skills for Care in partnership with CHANGE and the Judith Trust.

The sessions found that people with a learning disability felt scared and anxious due to their not having the chance to heal from negative life experiences such as abuse, grief and trauma.

People with a learning disability were also found to not always have access to the support they need to improve their mental health and rarely have the chance to talk openly about their feelings.

The resources are designed to help social care staff become more confident and knowledgeable about talking about mental health.

Download the resources, for free, from the Skills for Care website at: www.skillsforcare.org.uk/ImprovingMentalHealth