UK sources of information and / or support

Patient UK has an extensive directory of patient self-help and support groups, and similar organisations, which includes a chapter called 'Disability - learning', and a chapter called 'Children - education / development' . Below are links to some large or 'umbrella' organisations, but you will find the Patient UK self help and support group section more comprehensive.

 Learning Disabilities

A Department of Health website detailing government policy on learning disabilities, and providing some useful information and links on the subject.

 Learning Disabilities

Information from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

 Valuing People Now: From Progress to Transformation

A consultation on the next three years of learning disability policy from the Department of Health.

 Association for Residential Care

ARC is an umbrella organisation which brings together those who provide services for people with a learning disability.Their objectives are to support, develop and promote quality services for people with a learning disability throughout the UK.

 MENCAP

Works with people with a learning disability, and their families and carers.

 British Institute of Learning Disabilities - BILD

A not for profit organisation with charitable status, which exists improve the quality of life of all people with a learning disability. BILD provides information, publications and training services for organisations and individuals.

 Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities

Aims to improve the quality of life for people with learning disabilities. They do this by conducting research and sharing the findings with other people.

 United Response

Supports people with learning difficulties and people with mental health problems to take control of their lives and fulfil their individual needs, preferences and aspirations.

 Network 81

A national network of parents working towards properly resourced inclusive education for children with special needs.

 National Association for Special Educational Needs (NASEN)

With over sixty branches and 11,500 members, they are a leading organisation in the UK working in special needs.

 dysTalk - Helping Your Child Learn Better

The site provides information to parents and teachers on learning and learning difficulties. It's got loads of short 10-min talks from various professionals and experts on dyslexia, dyspraxia, the impact of video games, help with homework and many more. It's also brimming with articles and an active forum for parents.

 FAIR

An information and advice service for people with learning disabilities in Edinburgh. In addition FAIR Multimedia produce health leaflets specifically designed for and with people with learning disabilities. They cover topics such as Skin Care, Testicular Awareness, Bowel Cancer and dental hygiene. Many of the booklets are available free in Scotland but there is a small charge for them in the rest of the UK.

 Learning Disability Website

Designed to provide information, education and services to both members of the public and those with a commercial interest. The site is primarily aimed at providing education information for people with learning disabilities, their carers, advocates, friends, professional carers, social and health care workers, students and those who have an active interest in promoting equality of opportunity for people with learning disabilities.

 Community Living

An independent quarterly journal devoted to supporting the rights of all people with learning difficulties.

 Elfrida Society

The aim of the Elfrida Society is to make it possible for people with learning difficulties to manage as much of their lives as they want and feel able to do. The site provides literature concerning the societies past works and how it intends to reach it's aims.

 East Living

People with a learning disability can access supported housing, floating support and registered care through East Living.

 Signalong Group

Charity providing publications, research, training and advice in sign-supported communication.

Further sources / more detailed information

Some non-UK sites

The following list popular non-UK health information sites with content aimed at the general public. They are mainly from the US. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included but these large sites are comprehensive.

• Non-UK disease / illness sites
• Non-UK self-help / support group sites

More detailed medical information

The following list online sources of more detailed medical information, mainly from the UK. These sites are mainly aimed at health professionals, but are of interest to all. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included, but information about most medical topics can usually be found.

• PatientPlus - hundreds of medical reference articles provided by Patient UK.
• Evidence Based Medicine - such as from Clinical Evidence, The Cochrane Library, etc.
• Database of UK Clinical Guidelines - from NICE, SIGN, etc.
• Medline - abstracts available from thousands of journals.
• Sites listing free online medical textbooks and journals.
• Sites listing free medical images - pictures, atlases, anatomy, skin diseases, etc.