Priority 11 from the Learning Difficulties Scotland PSP

UNCERTAINTY: What are the factors contributing to the delay for children and young people with learning difficulties in referral for, and differences in, a learning difficulties assessment and diagnosis, support and interventions? (JLA PSP Priority 11)
Overall ranking	11
JLA question ID	0070/11
Explanatory note	Not available for this PSP
Evidence	M. Naseem, AH Shah, MF. Khiyani, Z. Khurshid, MS Zafar, S. Gulzar, AH Aljameel, HS. Khalil. (2017). Access to oral health care services among adults with learning disabilities: a scoping review. Annali di Stomatologia. 7(3): 52-59. doi: 10.11138/ads/2016. M. Jacobs, H. Downie, G. Kidd, L. Fitzsimmons, S. Gibbs, C. Melville. (2016). Mental health services for children and adolescents with learning disabilities: A review of research on experiences of service users and providers. British Journal of Learning D R. Balogh, C. A. McMorris, Y. Lunsky, H. Ouellette-Kuntz, L. Bourne, A. Colantonio, D. C. Goncalves-Bradley. (2016). Organising healthcare services for persons with an intellectual disability (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Review. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007492.pub2
Health Research Classification System category	Mental Health

Extra information provided by this PSP
Original uncertainty examples	Why does it take so long for a learning difficulty to be recognised or formally diagnosed? Asked because there seems to be reluctance on the part of education to acknowledge difficulties leading to a very slow response to putting appropriate support into place to support individual pupils. ~ Why there is no consistency in any diagnosis , support or interventions. Constant battle on an already stressful situation. No regular support or time given. Resources too thinly dread for the amount of people needing help. ~ Why is there a much poorer standard of overall support once young people leave the educational/child system, e.g. social work and health care provision?
Submitted by	Professionals x 8 ~ parents/carers x 11 ~ Adults who experienced learning difficulties as a child x 0 ~ child/young person x 1

Extra information provided by this PSP

Original uncertainty examples

Why does it take so long for a learning difficulty to be recognised or formally diagnosed? Asked because there seems to be reluctance on the part of education to acknowledge difficulties leading to a very slow response to putting appropriate support into place to support individual pupils. ~ Why there is no consistency in any diagnosis , support or interventions. Constant battle on an already stressful situation. No regular support or time given. Resources too thinly dread for the amount of people needing help. ~ Why is there a much poorer standard of overall support once young people leave the educational/child system, e.g. social work and health care provision?

Submitted by

Professionals x 8 ~ parents/carers x 11 ~ Adults who experienced learning difficulties as a child x 0 ~ child/young person x 1

PSP information
PSP unique ID	0070
PSP name	Learning Difficulties (Scotland)
Total number of uncertainties identified by this PSP.	40 (To see a full list of all uncertainties identified, please see the detailed spreadsheet held on the JLA website)
Date of priority setting workshop	11 June 2018