Reasons for the increase in the number of people with LDs in NI

Early identification (1)

No. of people with LDs in NI has increased as identification, assessment & reporting have improved across education, HSC systems

(2)

Schools identifying more children with additional needs. No. of children with a statement of SEN increased by 51% between 2017-18 & 2023-24 rising from 17,837 - 26,964

(3)

Suggests professionals = better at recognising LDs & ensuring people receive formal assessment & support

Improvements in assessment & diagnostic processes (1)

Treatment pathway & assessment services in NI have become more structured & better resourced resulting in more accurate & earlier identification

(2)

NI uses multi-disciplinary assessment & treatment services including paediatricians, psychologists, SLTs & physios, increases diagnostic accuracy

(3)

Better trained professionals & more specialised assessment pathways allow LDs to be recognised earlier esp. in children

(4)

NIs assessment & treatment services for children e.g. specialist centres (Iveagh centre) contribute to earlier detection & more accurate diagnosis

improvements in technology & treatment (1)

Improvements in neonatal medicine mean more babies with severe/complex medical problems now survive, in the past many wouldn’t have lived beyond birth/early neonatal period

(2)

Increased survival leads to more children living with long term complications e.g. LDs

(3)

Neuroprotective & respiratory therapies allow extremely premature infants to survive – have highest risk of long-term LDs

(4)

Surfactant therapy & improved ventilation methods help many infants born before 28 weeks to survive – high risk of brain injury, cerebral palsy & developmental delay

Improved HSC services leading to increased life expectancy (1)

HSC services now focus strongly on reducing inequalities ensuring people with LDs receive necessary checks & treatments

(2)

Annual health checks provided by GPs help identify health problems earlier & lead to better treatment & less emergency hospital admissions

(3)

Improved coordination across the HSC allows people to receive right support at right time, ensures people don’t ‘fall through the gaps’ in the system

(4)

When services communicate & plan together, health issues are managed more effectively increasing life expectancy

Availability of funding to support children with LDs led to increase in diagnosis - funding can be used for assessments (1)

More money available, schools & services can allocate resources e.g. staff time, specialist assessors & assessment tools to identify children earlier & more effectively

(2)

Northern Ireland Audit Office: early identification & assessment are crucial but delays often occur as services are ‘insufficient, poor quality & inadequately resourced’ improved funding reduces barriers leading to more diagnoses

(3)

Impact Review of SEN: funding is central to providing assessments, over £311 million spent on SEN provision in 2019-20 – supporting identification processes in schools

Reduced stigma (1)

Reduced stigma & improved knowledge of LDs has led to an increase in parents presenting with concerns ∴ more diagnoses

(2)

Strengthened advocacy campaigns e.g. ARC NIs learning disability rights work leading to increased visibility & understanding

(3)

Typically results in more families coming forward for assessment & support contributing to increased recorded numbers

parents are now more aware of early signs & symptoms (1)

Learning disorders often go unnoticed & may only be diagnosed after children struggle significantly at school – harms self-esteem & progress

(2)

Increased awareness helps parents spot signs sooner leading to earlier referrals & diagnosis

professionals are better trained to recognise difficulties (1)

Professionals now have greater understanding of symptoms e.g. difficulties with reading, writing, memory, processing speed or communication

(2)

Understanding of LDs helps teachers identify when performance doesn’t match intelligence/age expectations

Broader recognition of what counts as a learning disability (1)

Equality Commission of NI: disability + LD defined as: any physical or mental impairment with substantial, long-term effect on daily activities – wide range of cognitive & developmental impairments – more conditions count as a ‘learning disability’

(2)

As definitions expand to include varying levels of severity e.g. mild, moderate, severe & profound – more people qualify for diagnosis

increased life expectancy amongst older adults with LDs (1)

Proper nourishment including adequate intake of vitamins, minerals & healthy fats improves physical & cognitive functioning in people with disabilities

(2)

Example: deficiencies in vit D, omega 3 fatty acids & proteins are linked to poorer physical & cognitive outcomes while healthy dietary patterns improve long-term health

(3)

As nutritional knowledge & support improve e.g. healthier diets in supported living, better monitoring, supplements older adults with LDs experience fewer nutrition-related health complications, increasing life expectancy

better access to health care reduces avoidable deaths (1)

Improved access to healthcare esp. routine & preventative care = less people with LDs dying from treatable conditions

(2)

Mencap’s analysis of the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review shows avoidable deaths are significantly higher in this group. Improvements in healthcare directly reduce preventable deaths

(3)

Increased uptake of annual health checks help detect problems earlier, leading to better treatment & longer survival

impact

earlier detection + more appropriate treatment = longer life expectancy

Greater recognition of impact of LD = more training for professionals (1)

Health professionals historically lacked skills needed to identify LDs accurately

(2)

Mencap project found 93% of GPs recommend specific training on LDs for all health professionals – professionals recognise need for greater knowledge. Training helps practitioners distinguish LDs from other conditions & avoid diagnostic mistakes

(3)

Many teachers report limited knowledge about LDs & require more training to effectively identify them. Has driven increased professional development in educational settings

Impact

as more teachers & GPs become aware of knowledge gaps, more structured training programmes are introduced leading to more accurate identification & diagnoses