News Release, 30 January 2002
A new report from the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, part of the Mental Health Foundation, concludes that much more should be done to address the spiritual needs of people with learning disabilities.
A Space to Listen, by Dr John Swinton of the University of Aberdeen, states that although services currently aim to cater for people's physical and occupational needs, spirituality has so far been a neglected area. Dr Swinton's consultations with family carers, service providers and people with learning disabilities themselves showed that this is, in fact, very important to people.
In the report, spirituality is broadly defined as that which gives meaning and value to people's lives, which can include religious faith and culture, but is also a much broader concept. An example of what this can mean for an individual is the experience related in the report by a care worker. While out in the countryside with a boy with learning disabilities, he half-ignored the boy's shout of "It's beautiful" and continued chatting with his colleague. It was only when the boy shouted again that he paid attention and saw that he was describing the sunset. Sitting quietly together and watching the sunset enabled him to share an experience which, he feels, was spiritual for both himself and the boy, and which, importantly, was identified by the boy, rather than the support worker.
"People with learning disabilities are socially marginalised, and the opportunities for them to be supported to find meaning in their lives can be severely limited," said Hazel Morgan, head of the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities. "Meeting people's spiritual needs is essential if person-centred care is to have any real meaning. The Foundation would like to see both services and faith communities enabling people with learning disabilities to experience and explore spirituality."
A Space to Listen stresses that spirituality is not just about enabling people to attend mosque or church or some other religious place, but is about care staff becoming open to the spiritual experiences that people may have. The research found that support workers are generally not equipped to recognise and respond to people's spiritual needs and that faith communities could often do more to be inclusive of people with learning disabilities. The report also suggests that friendship is one important and simple way of experiencing spirituality, and that this has implications for the concept of professionalism, which usually involves a degree of distance between worker and client.
Recommendations include:
- Agency policies need to address ways of meeting spiritual needs and to provide staff with training on how to do this.
- People with learning disabilities should be given accessible information to help them make informed spiritual choices - although religious views must never be imposed.
- People with learning disabilities must be supported to make and sustain meaningful friendships.
- Faith communities need to be aware that there is much they can do to help meet the spiritual needs of people with learning disabilities, but should also be aware that certain religious practices can exclude people.
A Space to Listen is the first stage of the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities' extensive research programme concerning spirituality and learning disability. Dr John Swinton is currently carrying out major research for the Foundation, consulting people with learning disabilities and their carers about the nature of spiritual needs and how they can best be met. This will lead to the publication of a report and guidance materials in 2003. The Foundation has also funded Dr Chris Hatton, of Lancaster University, to develop and pilot staff training materials on how services can meet the religious needs of people with learning disabilities.
Hazel Morgan added:
"This is an exciting and innovative area of research, and one which has the potential to affect profoundly not only the lives of people with learning disabilities, but also those who care for and work with them. There is much that can be learned about spirituality from people with learning disabilities, and we are realising how much can be gained from engaging with this aspect of people's lives."
The report will be launched at a seminar, also entitled A Space to Listen. The full report A Space to Listen : Meeting the spiritual needs of people with learning disabilities. Book. Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, December 2001. Is available for £15 + p&p from the the Publications Department at the Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities, Tel 020 7803 1101 or email books@fpld.org.uk
More information on the Spirituality research projects
Return to news releases 2002
Note to editors
For further information and interview requests contact please contact the press office on 020 7803 1105 / 1128 or email the press office
The Foundation promotes the rights, quality of life and opportunities of people with learning disabilities and their families. We do this by working with people with learning disabilities, their families and those who support them to:
- Do research and develop projects that promote social inclusion and citizenship
- Support local communities and services to include people with learning disabilities
- Make practical improvements in services for people with learning disabilities
- Spread knowledge and information.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
