Assessing Parents with a Learning Disability
An increasing number of people with a learning disability are choosing to have children. Research has shown that these children are more likely to be put under care orders, removed from their parents, put into foster placements or placed for adoption. The government has recognised there are issues relating to equality and that parents with a learning disability, in particular, should not be discriminated against when they choose to have children. Legislation is already in place which can address the issues of inequality for these parents.
Child protection issues often arise with parents who have a learning disability often because they have not been “socialised” to parent. The cause may be genetic, environmental or a combination of both. When poor parenting skills are displayed it is seldom intentional but rather due to omission rather than commission, a lack of education and the unavailability of supportive services.
There are very few specialised services in the UK where parents with a learning disability are given the opportunity or resources to prove that they can parent to a good enough standard. For this reason, Serendipity endeavours to provide parenting assessments to bridge this gap. With a staff team who have specialist skills in this area, intervention and support is tailor-made for both a residential setting and in the delivery of long term support in the community.
Intervention needs to be offered so that a parent’s capacity to learn can be assessed. Support needs to be mainly ‘one to one’ but in small groups support can also be effective. It needs to be flexible and individualised for each family. The parents will also be supported to address any issues which have been previously identified.
Assessment tools used to help people with a learning disability progress at Serendipity include: video/audio equipment, pictorial aids, parenting skills cards (based on the Portage method), games, booklets and equipment.
Good practice identifies that some degree of long term support is needed after a successful placement has taken place. Serendipity will also evaluate and recommend a realistic support system to help ensure the continuity of skills and practice that have been in evidence at Serendipity.
Serendipity is an active member of the ‘Working Together with Parents Network’ hosted by the Norah Fry Research Centre at the University of Bristol. We aim to ensure that we work in accordance with the good practice guidance as specified by the Department of Health and that we have access to the best resources available in the UK today so that we are able to provide a specialised assessment service for parents with a learning disabled.
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