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Some facts for journalists

Some facts for journalists

ENABLE Scotland supports children and adults with learning disabilities to live, work and take part in their communities

  • There are around 120,000 people with learning disabilities in Scotland
  • Learning disability used to be known as "mental handicap", but most people with learning disabilities prefer not to use that term now.
  • The best known form of learning disability is Down's Syndrome, but there are many others. People with learning disabilities have not always been diagnosed with a medical condition.
  • People with learning disabilities may take longer to learn than other people. This can include adapting to new situations, as well as learning how to do things.
  • Learning disability cannot be cured. It is not an illness. We prefer not to say that people "suffer from" a learning disability; it should not be a barrier to living a full and dignified life.
  • We believe that people with learning disabilities should have the same rights as other people to work, to have relationships and familes and to make friends.
 
Given the right support, people with learning disabilities can achieve the same as anyone else.

ENABLE Scotland National Office Address: 2nd Floor : 146 Argyle Street : Glasgow : G2 8BL : ENABLE Scotland charity number SC009024

ENABLE Scotland is a partner in the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability SCLD