This service is managed by Health and Community Care
Learning disabilities
Our All Age Learning Disability team supports children, young people and adults in Orkney who have a learning disability. We work with people of all ages, from children and their families through to older adults.
A learning disability is a significant lifelong condition that starts before adulthood and affects a person's development. People with a learning disability need help to understand information, learn skills and cope independently.
Please note: the term learning difficulty is different from a learning disability. Learning difficulties such as dyslexia or ADHD do not in themselves constitute a learning disability. Our team can only accept referrals for people who have an identified learning disability, though they may also have additional diagnosed conditions.
Autism is a lifelong developmental disability affecting how a person communicates and relates to others. Not all autistic people have a learning disability. We are not able to accept a referral for someone who solely has autism or autistic spectrum disorder. However, where a child or adult has complex or overlapping needs that make it difficult to establish whether a learning disability is present, we will work jointly with other social work and health teams to carry out a more detailed assessment.
How to make a referral
Contact us and ask for the duty worker for the adult social work team or children and families Team, depending on the age of the person being referred.
Protection concerns should be reported and more details can be found on the Protect Orkney website:
Out-of-hours emergencies
Priority levels for referrals
- Critical - your health and safety is at immediate or imminent risk, or your care arrangements are at urgent risk of breakdown. A worker will be allocated on the day of referral and immediate action taken.
- Substantial - your health, safety or independence is significantly threatened and essential care needs are not being met, or your carer is at risk of being unable to continue. A worker will be allocated within five working days.
- Moderate - your situation is causing some difficulty and poses a moderate risk, but does not present an immediate danger. A worker will be allocated within twenty working days.
- Low - there is no immediate risk, personal care needs are met, and supports are in place. The duty worker will provide general advice and may direct you to other sources of support. If your circumstances change, you can contact us again.
Assessment
Everyone allocated to the Learning Disability team is entitled to an assessment of their needs. For children and young people this is carried out under the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) framework. For adults, we use a Self-Directed Support outcome-focused assessment, which includes a self-assessment that you can complete yourself or with help. Carers are also entitled to a separate assessment of their own needs.
Self-Directed Support
Self-Directed Support gives you greater choice and control over how your eligible care needs are met. You can choose from four options:
- A direct payment to buy support or pay a personal support worker
- Directing your support budget - asking the Council or another agency to manage it at your direction
- Having services arranged by the Council
- A mixture of some or all of the above
Services available
Orkney has a range of services to support children and their families, young people and adults with a learning disability, including respite, day services and accommodation services, some delivered by the Council and some by other providers. If your assessment identifies a need for services, we will discuss the range of choices and options available to you.
Reviews
All cases are reviewed at least annually. Your allocated social worker will coordinate and chair the review. Once a care package is established and there is no need for ongoing regular social work involvement, your case may be closed or placed on review and checked in line with statutory requirements.
Employment support
We provide specialist employment support for people with learning disabilities, people with autistic spectrum disorders and some people who struggle to understand information, learn skills or cope independently.
We are a member of the Scottish Union of Supported Employment.
Support can include:
- Building skills and confidence
- Finding training courses to help you get a job
- Work placements to gain experience
- Help with CVs and interviews
- Finding a job that matches your skills and needs
- On-the-job support while you learn your role
- Regular check-ins with you and your employer to make sure things are going well
- Support to develop your career
We can help whether you are not currently working but would like to, or whether you already have a job but want to build your skills or increase your hours.