News release, 4 December 2002
Up to forty percent of young people with learning disabilities experience mental health problems, yet they regularly go unnoticed or untreated. These are the findings of a year-long inquiry by the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, published today (5 December 2002).
The Inquiry into Meeting the Mental Health Needs of Young People with Learning Disabilities heard evidence from more than 250 people. It found that young people with learning disabilities are twice as likely to develop mental health problems as other young people, yet many families struggle for years to get appropriate help.
Dr Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities said:
“Young people with learning disabilities are susceptible to bullying, abuse, social exclusion and low self-esteem. Many live below the poverty line. These factors alone mean they’re likely to develop treatable mental health problems, yet time and again, we’ve heard from them and their families that they’re not getting the support and treatment they need.
“We have to ask, why? Is it because, as one parent suggested, we see the disability first and the person second? Mental health problems such as depression and anxiety are often wrongly perceived to be part of the disability. Why should young people with learning disabilities put up with mental health problems when the rest of the population rightly expects treatment?
“We have uncovered a vicious circle. The low self-esteem that often hits adolescents with learning disabilities is largely caused by negative attitudes in our society. Yet these are the very attitudes that mean resulting mental health problems go untreated.”
The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities is calling on health, education and social care policy makers to recognise that learning disabilities and mental health problems co-exist, and to provide services accordingly.
Reports of young people with learning disabilities waiting three years for a referral to a psychologist, or of their being over-medicated for want of any other suitable treatments have prompted the calls.
Dr McCulloch said: “Services in many areas are planned for a world where you can have either a learning disability or a mental health problem, but not both. It’s time for this to end.”
Return to news releases 2002
Note to editors
For further information and interview requests contact please contact the press office on 020 7803 1105 / 1128 or email the press office
The Foundation promotes the rights, quality of life and opportunities of people with learning disabilities and their families. We do this by working with people with learning disabilities, their families and those who support them to:
- Do research and develop projects that promote social inclusion and citizenship
- Support local communities and services to include people with learning disabilities
- Make practical improvements in services for people with learning disabilities
- Spread knowledge and information.
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