Learning disability policy and practice: changing lives? (Interagency working in health and social care)

Abstract

Reviews the book, Learning Disability Policy and Practice: Changing Lives? (Interagency Working in Health and Social Care) by Val Williams (2013). This book assesses the impact of policy on practice across a broad spectrum of themes and issues, focusing on examples in the lives of people with learning disabilities to ascertain whether any real difference has been made. The book poses the question ‘what has policy achieved for the lives of people with learning disabilities – what has it done for them?' This is a book that is timely, given the plethora of legislation in relation to disability and, more particularly, learning disability, introduced since the beginning of the twenty-first century. It gives an extremely useful overview for anyone with an interest in the well-being of people with learning disabilities and their families. Ultimately, this book indicates that, whilst policy might be on the right lines and practice is changing, the effect is somewhat sporadic. It is clearly going to take time, effort and considerably more resources to radically change practices that directly affect the lives of individuals with learning disabilities. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)