The Department of Health defines a learning disability as:
‘A significantly reduced ability to understand new or complex information and to learn new skills resulting in a reduced ability to cope independently which started before adulthood and has a lasting effect on development.’
A parent with a learning disability should not be assumed to be unable to care for a child. However they may be poorly prepared for parenthood and may lack the understanding, resources, skills and experience to meet the needs of a child. Children of parents with learning disabilities are also at increased risk of inherited learning disability, thus increasing the stresses within the household.
If, in addition to these concerns there are additional risk factors, concerns for the care and safety of a child in the household will increase. Such risk factors include:
- Domestic violence
- Poor physical and mental health
- Substance misuse
- Social isolation
- Poor housing
- Poverty
- A history of growing up in care
Unless a parent with a learning disability has a comprehensive support network it is likely they will need support from Children’s Social Care and other agencies, including Adult Services.
Specific risks to children with parents with learning disability are:
- Poor pre-birth care because of late recognition of pregnancy and poor compliance with ante-natal care
- Impairment of their health and development through impaired parenting capacity
- The child assuming a caring responsibility for the parent
- The child being socially isolated/bullied
- Men targeting a mother with learning disabilities to gain access to the child for the purpose of sexually abusing them
A core assessment undertaken by Children’s Social Care must include assessments by specialist services and by services able to provide the supports necessary for the adults in the family as well as the children.
