Learning Disability and Learning Difficulty

Learning Disability and Learning Difficulty are two things that often get confused.

If someone has a learning disability, they have a condition, which affects the ability to learn. This could be something like being deaf or blind; or it could be chromosomal such as Cri Du Chat or Down Syndrome.

If someone has a learning difficulty it means that they take longer to master a task, but they can get there in the end.

Whether it is a disability or a difficulty (D or D), neither stops a person from potentially holding down work position. Not everyone is destined to become a doctor or scientist and not everyone would want to. There are thousands of jobs to suit everyone. The key is to find something that the person with a D or D could do potentially.

Jobs that often suit people with a D or D are those that are repetitive and where the person knows what to expect each time they go to work.

A positive is that those with a D or D may be happy with a day or two part time work as others of course could happily manage a job full time.

Another positive is that for those companies that broaden their mindset to considering working with someone with a D or D are able to get help to support them in the workplace through the Government Access to Work scheme. This can provide the D or D person help with interviews, a support worker to help whilst they settle in, in some cases help with getting to work and help with equipment they may need.

Companies who are willing to employ someone with a D or D can sign up for the Disability confident scheme This highlights to others that your company is open to the idea of giving someone with a D or D a fair chance to get a job by offering an interview to gain experience or by offering a position in your workforce. A bonus of this is that you may find opportunities coming your way that you might not have considered.

If you think that there may be a space in your company for someone with a D or D please contact us to talk more about it and register with us so we may be able to find you that person.

Someone with a D or D should not always be expected to volunteer and are entitled to a proper wage for what they do so why not make