Learning Disability Coalition
A learning disability affects someone's intellectual and social development throughout their life.
About 1.5 million people in the UK have a learning disability, so it's one of the most common forms of disability in the UK but also one of the least understood.
A learning disability does not stop someone from learning and achieving a lot in life, if they get the right support.
Leroy's story
My name is Leroy Binns and I went to a special school called Downsview in Hackney, London. I did not even know how to lift up a pencil and the education authorities did not think the school could teach me anything at all. At Downsview, my headmaster said "give me six months with him and we will show you what we can do". I ended up staying there for ten years.
I then started working as soon as I left school. My first job was at a company called Victor and Young in Cross Street in Islington doing book binding work I now work for a charity called Mencap. I work in the post room three days a week and in campaigns and policy two days a week. I work on issues to do with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities which I am very passionate about.
I am working on a project called getting to know you. It is about how you can communicate with someone without using any words at all. We do workshops up and down the country about the project which are going very well indeed. I have an Educare Health and Safety certificate, a Media training certificate and a pre GCSE basic skills module 6 certificate. I am very good at maths and I love watching my team Arsenal play on the TV. I also like speaking up for people with profound and multiple learning disabilities.
Too many people with learning disabilities are deprived of the support they need to have a decent quality of life and do things other people take for granted.
With the help of Kunal's professional advocate I fought for his rights. I went to a circle of support meeting about him to get back his sitting service (this means when someone stays with Kunal so that his mother can go and do what she has to do without having to worry about having to get back to him quickly). This was taken away for no reason at all now he has got his sitting service back .
When Kunal is happy to see you he will hold your hand very tightly as if to say that it is good to see you.
When Kunal wants a drink he will make a sucking noise as if to say that he wants a drink. You only know that when you get to know him.
When he is not happy he bites himself or he scratches himself and he will sometimes cry.
I am going to both daycentres that he goes to, (the Mayflower two days a week and the banyan three days a week), to see if he likes what he is doing there and if they are treating him right. I will be going to them both once month and I will report back to his professional advocate on what ever I find.
Further information about Learning Disability
- The Down's Syndrome Association
- Mencap factsheet about community care
- Ideas information on Beacon local authorities
- Mencap website
- Downs syndrome association website
- www.learningdisabilities.org.uk - Foundation for people with learning disabilities.
- In Control website
- Individual Budgets pilots website
- SPKWEB for Supporting People
- Valuing People website
- Every Disabled Child Matters
- The British Institute of Learning Disability (BILD)
- Association for Real Change