Posted: April 16th, 2015

Learning Disabilities and Social Inclusion

Learning Disabilities and Social Inclusion

PART 2: Summative assessment will comprise: A 3,000 word case study that critically examines the challenges faced by a learning disability community team in undertaking an assessment of needs for either Susan (case study #1) OR Arthur (Case Study #2). Your essay should provide a critical analysis of the ways in which services assess a person’s needs, it should also critically evaluate the issues presented in multi-disciplinary working and consider the possible impacts on a service-user of a generic approach to needs-led assessment. The case study summaries will be published on Moodle during week 12. This assignment should address the following learning outcomes: Learning Outcome 1: Discuss the needs of a user of the learning disability service with reference to the range of factors which impact upon the service Learning Outcome 2: Review the requirements which are needed for effective working with other health and social care agencies for the benefit of the service user

Susan Susan is a 23 year old woman with a moderate learning disability who lives at home with her Mother (who became a single parent in the last 18 months).
Susan has lived in the area all her life and is well known in her local community. She has experienced some issues with bullying, especially when she was at the Comprehensive School.
Susan spends time in the local community where she will access local shops, spend time talking to the (younger) children who congregate outside the small shopping precinct and chatting to her immediate neighbours. When she was interviewed for a local TV news feature she was asked about her life and this is one of the things she said: ‘I think everybody likes me in the street but I don’t like to go in the next street cos that’s where the nasty people go to’ Susan wants to get a job and she has tried many times to apply for paid work but she often gets offered voluntary positions instead. Susan has undertaken a number of short courses at the local College of Further Education but she often doesn’t complete the course. Susan and her Mum are often short of money (her Mum works for a Nursing Agency doing bank shifts) and Susan has been overheard commenting about how worried she is about money and bills. Susan feels safe at home with her Mum and she is used to receiving lots of support from her Mum and extended family with aspects of self-care. Susan has a long-standing friendship with a local man called Pete and they often go to the social club together. It is not clear if there is any romantic connection between them although Susan’s Mum does express concerns about this and she seems not to like Pete very much. Your case study should consider how the services involved (Social Club Manager, Community Learning Disability Nurse, Social Worker, FE college link lecturer) can work together effectively to provide a full assessment of needs for Susan that enables her to continue to live as independently as possible.