Learning disabilities and responsive interventions

Before we begin exploring learning disabilities and neurodiversity within forensic settings, let's begin by considering what constitutes a learning disability. Please watch the following video from Mencap, a UK learning disability charity, in which individuals experiencing learning disabilities discuss what it means to them:

Individuals with learning disabilities can also include neurodiverse individuals with needs such as autism, dyspraxia, dyslexia, attention deficit disorders (ADHD) and processing difficulties (language, visual, auditory processing). These can sometimes, but not always, impact on an individual's cognitive functioning. To learn more about neurodiversity, please watch the following video which introduces it:

Individuals with neurodiversity and/or learning disabilities will be impacted by these needs not only influencing their life prior to offending, but also their time within custody and their rehabilitation journey. Thinking back to your work on Unit 2 of this module relating to the Risk, Need and Responsivity (RNR) model, you will remember that an essential element of intervention assessment is to consider responsivity.

In the following section we'll reflect on why we need to understand neurodiversity and LD when working in forensic settings.