This site has been developed with the support of Wakefield Healthwatch citizen’s panel and partner organisations across Wakefield District. If you have any feedback on the site please email adultsocialcare@wakefield.gov.uk
Diagnosis
Who can support me through diagnosis?
Every learning disability is different, and having a diagnosis can be helpful for you to get the support that you need. But some people may feel that they do need to get a diagnosis.
More information can be found on the NHS website.
Wakefield Discovery College run short courses and one off workshops across the whole of the Wakefield district to support you to; understand and manage health conditions, find new skills and interests, build strengths and inner resources, engage in physical activity and become an expert in your own self-care.
The Wakefield Recovery and Wellbeing College and Wakefield Discovery College have been developed in partnership with South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust staff, volunteers, people with lived experiences of mental and physical ill health and with organisations across the Wakefield district and the surrounding areas.
Diagnosis is the formal process by which a learning disability is identified. Some people will want to find out information as soon as they have been diagnosed, and others will want to take time to process the diagnosis. There is no right or wrong way to process your diagnosis.
MenCap have some useful pages for parents, family members, and another else who may want to find out more about a learning disability diagnosis. You can read these pages here.
A learning disability is a lifelong condition that affects the way you learn new things.
If you have a learning disability, you may find it more difficult to:
- understand complicated information
- learn new skills
- carry out everyday activities, like household tasks or interacting with people.
There are different causes of a learning disability. They usually happen when the brain is still developing. This could be before or during birth, or in early childhood.
It’s important that people with a learning disability get the right support. With support, most people with a learning disability in the UK can lead independent lives.
To find out more click here.