Learning Disabilities

People with a learning disability tend to take longer to learn and may need support to develop new skills, understand complex information and interact with other people.

People with certain specific conditions can have a learning disability too. For example, people with Down’s syndrome and some people with autism have a learning disability.

It’s important to remember that with the right support, most people with a learning disability in the UK can lead independent lives. – Mencap 2016

Improving Quality Services for people with Learning Disabilities

The recognising Autism and Learning Disabilities Management Programme (RALMP) have devised an agreed Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital [RMCH] Autism and Learning Disabilities standard to ensure that access to RMCH is better for all children/young people and their families with Autism and/or learning disabilities.

This includes pathways for everyone to follow when children/young people attend RMCH in the following areas:

Paediatric out-patient clinic.
Admission to RMCH.
Attending paediatric emergency care.

Work is currently underway to develop a pathway for transition to adult services.

Plan of Care

To enable all healthcare professionals to plan your child’s admission or visit to RMCH, please contact Play Services via link A member of Play Services will contact you to undertake a person centred assessment which allows reasonable adjustments , to be made through consideration of communication methods, special interests and behaviours. The use of social stories, visual timetables can be provided and a hospital visit to the relevant ward or department can be arranged prior to attending RMCH. We may also communicate with other organisations such as your child’s school with your permission ..

If you have any individual information, for example, an ‘All about me’ communication passport, please bring this along with you to all appointments and admissions to share with staff.

If you are a healthcare professional referring a child with Autism and/or Learning Disabilties to RMCH, please see the ‘referring a child’ document

Reasonable Adjustment and Communication Information Assessment

Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Autism and Learning Disabilities Management Programme (RALMP) Information

RALMP offers advice and support to staff and families regarding reasonable adjustments for children with Autism and/or Learning Disabilities accessing RMCH. Please contact RMCHRALMP@mft.nhs.uk if you are:

A professional requiring advice about caring for a patient with Autism or learning disability
A patient with Autism or learning disability
Parent / Carer of a patient with Autism or learning disability

For further information: RMCH Autism and LD RALMP service information.