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The present qualitative study aims to address the gap in what one knows about the life experiences of adults diagnosed with mild learning disabilities from minority ethnic communities and to generate a deeper understanding of their experiences.

The paper individually interviewed four adults with mild learning disabilities receiving support from an independent living project using semi‐structured interviews. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data collected were qualitatively analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

The findings showed that participants felt socially isolated and did not have a wide social network. Participants also reported that they had suffered some form of abuse in the past. Participants also said that they found employment satisfying and finally that they did not receive support with their cultural needs.

This paper highlights that greater emphasis should be placed on examining the social support needs of individuals with mild learning disabilities in order for them to live independently without risking social isolation.

This article reviews the literature on personality disorder in offenders with learning disabilities, using Medline, PsychoInfo and CINAHL databases, and search terms ‘offending’, ‘personality disorder and intellectual disabilities’, ‘learning disabilities’ and related terms. Methods of defining offending population, personality disorder and learning disabilities vary greatly, and few studies focus specifically on personality disorder, learning disability and offending. The definition of learning disability often encompasses both borderline learning disability and low average intelligence. Personality disorder, especially anti‐social personality disorder, is prevalent in offenders with learning disabilities, but less than in the general population, and is associated with higher levels of security and poorer outcomes. The study concludes that there is a continuum of offenders with borderline and mild learning disabilities, reflected in learning disability forensic services.

The following case study describes the assessment, formulation and treatment of a man with mild learning disabilities and a history of violent behaviour. Following several years of offence‐related work, identification of chronic low self‐esteem provided an alternative approach to addressing the risk of violence by treatment based on the cognitive model of low self‐esteem. Global self‐esteem and fear of negative evaluation were assessed at baseline, middle and end of treatment and at one‐month follow‐up. Although scores improved over the course of 23 sessions and were maintained at one‐month follow‐up, the change was minimal and unlikely to be clinically significant. However, the client reported benefits from therapy and there were observable positive behaviour changes. Discharge was facilitated from secure services to supported living in the community. The results from this case study show that, with adaptation, cognitive behavioural therapy for low self‐esteem may successfully be applied to people with mild learning disabilities. Therapy to address issues underlying offending behaviour is often required in addition to offending behaviour programmes in order to reduce risk of re‐offending.

Young people with multiple social problems, especially if compounded by additional needs such as those associated with mild learning disabilities or mental health problems, are in particular danger of being excluded from society. Homelessness is one of the most extreme manifestations of such exclusion.

The purpose of this paper is to critically explore the impact of anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) on young people with mild learning disabilities. In an attempt to identify why young people (under the age of 18) with learning disabilities are exposed to the criminal justice system, an emerging body of evidence is considered. The research provides an insight into some of the difficulties vulnerable young people may encounter, such as receiving unrealistic prohibitions and the lack of support provided after receiving a court order. The research also highlights the lack of professional awareness and understanding of learning disabilities and considers the level of training available to professionals. The paper closes with a discussion of the themes identified from the literature reviewed and some of the changes proposed by the coalition government regarding the future of the criminal justice system.

Although a strict systematic review of the literature was not required for the literature review, a less rigorous systematic approach was employed. When searching for literature, the general principles and guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration were employed, this included inclusion and exclusion criteria. The eligibility criteria guided the focus of the literature review and determined the relevance of the research. During the literature review it was recognised that much of the research is discussion/review based, and currently there is a limited amount of empirical research available. An eco-systems perspective was employed to consider the connections between young people, the environment and anti-social behaviour (ASB).

The findings from the literature review, illustrate a growing body of evidence which suggests that young people with learning disabilities have been “caught up” in ASB measures. It is positive that more recently, there has been a much needed focus on early identification and diversion away from the criminal justice system, for those with mental health conditions and learning disabilities. The research findings presented by Cant and Standen, and Talbot, provide possible explanations as to why vulnerable young people are made subject to ASBOs. Indeed this lack of sufficient training has not gone unnoticed by other researchers.

Although the author is aware of the valuable insight qualitative research can provide, the methodological limitations raise questions regarding the validity of the research the author has considered, especially as most of the research the author has drawn upon is based on exploratory approaches. Nevertheless, the concurring themes drawn from the research findings raise much curiosity around the potential links between disability awareness training and the identification of young people with mild learning disabilities.

Despite the governments recent proposal to abolish the ASBO and introduce a new approach to tackling ASB, it appears unclear as to how the new measures will differ from the existing ones. The recent proposed measures are set out in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Although the accompanying guidance for frontline professionals clearly sets out the need for early intervention, which sits alongside a new menu of ASB powers, including the Criminal Behaviour Order (which seems very similar to the ASBO), it is disappointing that the guidance does not give any direction of how new measures will impact on young people with learning disabilities.

Although the ASBO was not initially designed to target children and young people, it is clear from the literature that certain families and young people are often singled out and labelled as “anti-social”. It is unsurprising, that children and young people from poor families, with low educational attainment, limited employment opportunities and live in the most marginalised and deprived communities are amongst those who are singled out as being particularly problematic.

The research findings have helped me to understand some of the potential difficulties vulnerable young people may encounter if they come into contact with the criminal justice system. As there appears to be a lack of empirical research available which considers the connections between learning disabilities and ASBOs, further research within this area of practice would be beneficial. The research invites an alternative perspective which adds to the existing literature.

This pilot study investigated three historical risk factors for pathological arson identified in Jackson's Only Viable Option theory (Jackson, 1994), which views the act as an adaptive response to circumstances that are difficult to tolerate and which the individual does not have the necessary skills to resolve by appropriate means. Twenty men with mild learning disabilities were recruited from inpatient forensic services. It was hypothesised that there would be a greater incidence of risk factors among individuals with an index offence of arson than those without, and that risk factors would significantly predict an index offence of arson. Significant differences were found between the groups for perceived inability to effect social change and childhood experiences of fire, but not for the family problems under investigation. However, the sample size was too small to draw reliable conclusions on the predictive ability of the risk factors. The findings suggest that perceived inability to effect social change and childhood experiences of fire are risk factors characteristic of men with learning disabilities who have set fires, lending support to elements of Jackson's theory and providing opportunities to develop evidence‐based practice. However, the underlying causes of these risk‐factor characteristics remain unclear. It is hoped that the present study will help inform the choice of risk factors under investigation and improve the design of a larger study.

Many people with learning disabilities experience mental health problems, and the outcome is likely to be better if they have a good mental health service. Opinions vary about what form a good mental health service for people with learning disabilities would take. Great changes have occurred in services, but research about the effect of these changes is sparse. This paper explores the nature of mental health problems which require services and compares two models for providing a specialist mental health service for people with learning disabilities.

We describe the results of a qualitative study that explored the knowledge and views 20 adults with learning disabilities and their carers had of medication prescribed for behaviour problems. We found that the adults with mild and moderate learning disabilities can provide sensible, consistent and valuable information about their thoughts and experiences of medication prescribed when questions are asked in an open‐ended format. We also found that few people with learning disabilities were fully informed about their treatment. Nevertheless, the prescribing of such medication emerged as a positive experience, in keeping with the wishes of the majority of participants interviewed who expressed satisfaction with the medication based on perceived benefit. For the minority of participants who expressed dissatisfaction with medication, the reasons related mainly to their perceived lack of role in the treatment decision, their experience of adverse effects, a perceived lack of efficacy and a ‘desire to lead a normal life’. Alternatives to medication were discussed by both adults with learning disabilities and their carers, and the relevance of these findings to clinical practice is addressed in the paper.

Widely varying rates for the prevalence of psychiatric disorder have been reported in the previous published literature. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in a random sample of adults with moderate to profound learning disabilities living in the community, and to explore the socio‐clinical factors associated with psychiatric disorders.A process of active case finding was undertaken to identify adults with learning disabilities. A random sample of 240 was taken of whom 121 were found to have moderate to profound learning disabilities at interview. Information was collected on socio‐demographics, service use, physical health, medication use, and life events. Standardised instruments were used to assess psychiatric symptoms, problem behaviour, and severity of learning disabilities. Diagnoses were generated using four diagnostic systems: clinical, DC‐LD, DCR‐10 and DSM‐IV.Higher rates of psychiatric disorder are reported than in previous published studies in the general population and in studies with people with learning disabilities living in the community. Further investigation of the effect of diagnostic system on prevalence rates, and associations of psychiatric disorder are warranted.

We describe a 13 1/2‐year‐old boy with de novo inverted interstitial duplication 8q22.1‐q21.1 associated with mild phenotypic abnormalities, learning disabilities and autism. Psychometric and psychiatric evaluation was performed. Clinical genetic evaluation was supported by chromosome analysis of blood lymphocytes using GTG‐banding technique and Fluorescent In Situ Hybridization (FISH) with whole chromosome painting 8 probe. Clinical evaluation revealed mild phenotypic abnormalities, moderate learning disabilities and mild autistic disorder. The karyotype of the proband was interpreted as 46, XYqh+pat, 8q+.ish inv dup(8)(q22.1;q21.2)(wcp8+) de novo. Although partial trisomy for other segments of 8q, as well as mosaic trisomy 8, have been described in numerous cases, interstitial duplication of 8q21‐q22 seems extremely rare and the severity of the phenotypic abnormalities ranges from mild to profound.