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Learning disabilities

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The Government is committed to improving the life chances of people with learning disabilities and the support provided to their families.

The Department of Health leads a cross-government strategy for delivering improved services and support for people with learning disabilities called Valuing People Now.

Valuing People Now

  • addresses what people have told us about the support people with learning disabilities and their families need
  • reflects the changing priorities across Government which impact directly on people with learning disabilities
  • sets out the Government’s response to the ten main recommendations in 'Healthcare for All' the report of the independent inquiry into access to healthcare for people with learning disabilities, chaired by Sir Jonathan Michael
  • provides a further response to the Joint Committee on Human Rights report 'A Life Like Any Other?'

The Valuing People Now team within the Department of Health has been working closely with other Government departments, key organisations, forums and boards at local, regional and national levels to ensure success of the delivery of Valuing People Now.

The Department will ensure that all available resources are used effectively to bring better services and support for everyone with a learning disability and their families everywhere. We will continue to disseminate and share good practice, good guidance and real life stories of people with learning disabilities and their families.

Making written information easier to understand for people with learning disabilities: Guidance for people who commission or produce Easy Read information

This good practice guidance is aimed at people who commission easy read information for people with learning disabilities. This guidance is primarily for public sector organisations at a local and national level, but also for other organisations who produce public information specifically for people with learning disabilities, or anyone involved in commissioning Easy Read materials.

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