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What is a Learning Disability?

The term learning disability is used to describe the difficulties that some people have to learn effectively, caused by the way the brain develops.  A learning disability affects someone from when they are born, or develops in childhood. It affects the brain's ability to receive and process information.
 
This disorder can cause a problem for a person to learn as quickly as someone who isn't affected by a learning disability. People with a learning disability find it harder than others to learn, understand and communicate.
 
People with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) need full-time help with all aspects of their lives - including eating, drinking, washing, dressing and toileting.

Specialist Help for People with Learning Disabilities

A learning disability cannot be cured or fixed; it is a lifelong issue but with the right support people with learning disabilities lead normal lives, living independently, working, studying and choosing to live their lives as they want.

 

The Newham Community Team provides specialist health and social care support to people with learning disabilities. We also support people with learning disabilities to access mainstream health and social care services.

We provide services for people over the age of 18 who have a recognised or diagnosed learning disability, and who are unable to have their needs met by a mainstream service without support.

We also provide a limited service to people aged over 16, support young people in planning for their future, and providing support with some health issues.

We can continue working with people even if they are over the age of 65 if their primary needs are related to their learning disability rather than their age.

 

Find out more about how the Newham Community Team can help you

 

More information

You can find more information on support available for people with Learning Disabilities in our Transitions section. Including information about support groups, employment, social and leisure services and more...

More information

 


How to access our services

Referrals to the team can be made by anyone - individuals can refer themselves, or carers, family or professionals working with people with learning disabilities can make a referral on behalf of the person.
 
You can contact the service directly by phone, post or through the Access to Adult Social Care Team.
 

The Access to Adult Social Care Team can be contacted from Mon-Thurs 9am-5.15pm & Friday 9am-5pm 0208 430 2000 Option 8.

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