Learning disabilities and autism

Recent publications relating to learning disabilities and autism

The final revenue allocations for the 2006-07 and 2007-08 Learning Disability Development Fund (LDDF) are now available on this site. All PCT Chief Executives have been notified via the Chief Executive’s Bulletin (2 March 2006; Gateway Reference: 6209) and the letter has been copied to the appropriate Partnership Boards, informing them of their allocations.

This report is the second annual government report on learning disability. The Health and Social Care Act 2001 says we must give Parliament a report on learning disability once a year.

Facts and Figures

The Learning Disabilities Task Force is a team of academic experts, representatives of voluntary organisations, health and social care professionals, family carers and people with learning difficulties themselves. The Task Force's job is to find ways to make the ideas in Valuing People, the learning disability White Paper published in March 2001, into reality. The Task Force meets four times a year to discuss and agree actions that will influence change to improve the lives of People with Learning Disabilities.

Joint working group set up by the Department of Health and the Department of Work and Pensions. The group examines ways to help people with learning disabilities find and keep paid jobs.

The white paper Valuing People: A New Strategy for Learning Disability for the 21st Century was published on 20 March 2001. It is the first white paper on learning disability for thirty years and sets out an ambitious and challenging programme of action for improving services.

Key documents about learning disabilities published by the Department of Health.

An Individual Budget is designed to provide individuals who currently receive services greater choice and control over their support arrangements. The government is committed to piloting individual budgets with a view to rolling them out nationally should they prove successful. The individual budgets pilot project is a cross government initiative led by the Department of Health working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Communities and Local Government.

A Health Action Plan is a personal plan about what a person with learning disabilities can do to be healthy. It lists any help people might need to do those things. It helps to make sure people get the services and support they need to be healthy.

External websites about learning disabilities.

We welcome your comments on the learning disability strategy. Use the email link below.