Learning Disabilites and Mental Health
Learning Disabilities
Working in the learning disabilities sector of social care calls for lots of dedication and a positive attitude, even when faced with challenging, difficult and sometimes stressful situations. Positions in the sector can vary from working as a learning disabilities nurse (RNLD) to being a support worker.
This area of social care is all about providing care and support to people who are affected by conditions which impede their ability to learn, such as dyslexia, dyspraxia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, ADHD, Asperger’s, autism, Tourette’s, as well as rarer disorders like Angelman Syndrome.
Excellent people skills and communication skills are, therefore, paramount for any candidate searching for work in this sector.
Not only is this subsector incredibly important and rewarding, there’s a massive variety of positions available, so it might well be the right career path for you.
What is a learning disability?
A learning disability is a reduced intellect ability and difficulty with everyday activities, such as a significantly reduced ability to:
- Understand new information or to learn new skills (impaired intelligence)
- Cope independently (impaired adaptive and/or social functioning)
- Interact with other people.
There are different types of learning disability, which can be mild, moderate or severe, which will affect the level of support someone needs. People with specific conditions, such as autism, can have a learning disability too.
What roles exist in this field?
Learning disability nurses, social workers, speech and language therapists and special educational needs (SEN) teachers can all play an important role in helping people with learning difficulties to flourish in educational environments and generally in their everyday lives.
If you pursue a career in this area of social care, you will be providing vital support to people with learning difficulties, empowering them, and helping them to live a fulfilling, independent and liberated life.
Mental Health
Poor Mental Health is the largest cause of disability in the UK. Over the course of a year, One in four people will experience a related problem of some kind. The most common of these is mixed anxiety and depression. Unfortunately, if untreated, the damage caused by mental health disorders can be hard to confine and can lead to the breakdown of relationships and families and can have long lasting emotional effects for all of those involved. This medical condition can also lead to physical health issues, from lack of sleep, loss of appetite, and self-harm, suicide or they may even represent a danger to other people.
What are mental health problems?
‘Mental health problems’, ‘mental illness’ and ‘mental ill health’ are all common terms that are used to refer to the full spectrum of diagnosed clinical conditions such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, bipolar or schizophrenia. Symptoms of mental health problems have traditionally been divided into groups called either ‘neurotic’ or ‘psychotic’ symptoms. ‘Neurotic’ covers those symptoms which can be regarded as extreme forms of ‘normal’ emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or panic. Conditions formerly referred to as ‘neuroses’ are now more frequently called ‘common mental health problems,’ although this does not always mean they are less severe than conditions with psychotic symptoms.
Do you have an interest in this field and qualifications or experience relevant to the Health and Social Care industry?
SaferHandCare offer a vast array of work opportunities for Mental Health specialists which are updated on our website daily. If you are looking for RMN jobs, Clinical Psychology work, CBT therapist positions or other Mental Health practitioner roles we can assist you to secure the position that right for you!
