Working with People with Learning Disabilities: Systemic Approaches

This multi-disciplinary textbook provides a comprehensive guide for anyone working with people with learning disabilities. It considers how we can engage with people with learning disabilities and their networks of relationships. Throughout, the book demonstrates how theory can be applied to practice with a wide range of contemporary examples. Each chapter is written by a key clinician or writer in this area, incorporating the disciplines of nursing, clinical psychology, and psychotherapy. The chapters also include summaries, reflective questions and explanations of key terms to reinforce themes and topics. The authors provide practical ideas for applying theory across agency contexts including inpatient hospital settings and explore the potential opportunities and future directions for the field. This is a must-read book for students who work with people with learning disabilities including nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, psychiatrists and social workers.

Table of Contents:
What is Systemic? What is Social Construction and what does it Offer Learning Disability Scholarship and Practice? Understanding disabling barriers faced by people with learning difficulties: The social model and beyond Whose story is it anyway? A Narrative Approach to working with people affected by Learning Disabilities, their families and networks Beginning to Work Systemically: Working with Referrals Working in the Context of a Diagnosis: systemic practice and autistic spectrum conditions Systemic ideas in the context of working with children and families Evolving education (Psychology) Perspectives on Systemic Working Systemic Ideas and Positive Behaviour Support in a crisis service Working Systemically with Multi-Disciplinary Teams Using Systemic ideas in an in-patient setting Guide to a Good Day (G2GD) A WRAP for People with Learning Disabilities and their Support Network When someone dies: Practices of witnessing and remembering Systemic ideas in the context of supervision and reflective practice Evidence Based Practice, Practice Based Evidence and Warm Data Working systemically when you are not a qualified Family Therapist Ascribed Roles Applying the coordinated management of meaning Cultural Genograms Curiosity Diversity IS GRACE Engaging people with learning disabilities in family and network meetings From either/or to both/and Irreverence My restraint story Prejudices Reflecting conversations Reframing Relational Reflexivity