Parents with a learning disability in contact with social care and the courts: Falling between the two stools of social care

Summary The number of parents with a learning disability (LD) is not known and there are poor data available on the number in contact with adult or children's social care services in England. Policy initiatives on LD that emerged in the early years of this century have failed to be implemented as envisaged. Over 330 professionals across social care, health, law, and other sectors Contributed to interviews and case studies. Findings Across social care there is very low awareness of guidance produced to support practice with parents with an LD, although it has been cited in cases in the family court. In part the deficits identified in this study reflect the failure of services to adopt a holistic approach to families because of pressures to meet immediate priorities. But in the meantime parents with learning disabilities are not receiving an appropriate response and their children may be being removed unnecessarily. Applications The study highlights the need for three elements to be addressed if the position of parents who come in contact with children's services and family courts is to be improved. These are the importance of better data on the group, commitment from government to the provision and implementation of contemporary guidance and improved collaboration between adult and children's services.