Learning disabilities and BME communities: principles for best practice

The purpose of this briefing is to present some ideas for best practice in the effective delivery of learning disability services to users from BME communities.

By Tonkiss, Katherine ; Staite, Catherine .University of Birmingham.

School of Government & Society. Institute of Local Government Studies. 

Introduction 

The purpose of this briefing is to present some ideas for best practice in the effective delivery of learning disability services to users from BME communities. The briefing draws on the findings of qualitative research undertaken by INLOGOV for a local authority seeking to improve the historically low uptake of these services by individuals from BME communities. After briefly providing some detail of the broad findings from this research, the briefing uses these themes to develop principles of best practice in this field, with a particular emphasis on service-user involvement. 

Summary 

This briefing has described an approach to increasing the use of learning disability services by BME communities, and also increasing the involvement of those service users in the design and commissioning of services, which recognises that the best way to reach BME groups is through face to face contact and utilising existing contacts and networks to build up stronger relationships. This can then build up stronger relations which can increase opportunities to both get more people to use services, and to provide a more detailed understanding of what kinds of services will be appropriate through an ongoing relationship for service user involvement.

Examples from best practice have demonstrated how targeted information campaigns, together with a rigorous strategy for increasing service user involvement at all levels, is the best way to seek to achieve these aims. The examples further highlighted that the recruitment of a BME Development Worker is likely to be very beneficial to BME engagement with learning disability services. 

Learning disabilities and BME communities: principles for best practice