Planning for the future of adults with a learning disability
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Planning for the future of adults with a learning disability: exploring father’s perspectives.
IRAS ID
200747
Contact name
Owen Barr
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Southern HSC Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 31 days
Research summary
This study offers the opportunity to explore father’s perspectives on future planning for adults with a learning disability. Fathers’ views are generally underrepresented in healthcare research, particularly so on planning for the future. Within the literature, mother’s perspectives and verbal accounts are more frequently represented and at times have been used as a proxy for fathers’ accounts (Towers 2009). The findings of this study may be useful in assisting the transition into adulthood and planning ahead to enable the person with learning disabilities to become independent. In a broader context this study has the potential to be useful in service planning. The increasing longevity and projected growth in the population of people with a learning disability will pose challenges to those planning services and is likely to lead to an increase in the need for out of home placements as people with learning disabilities increasingly outlive their parents. This study may assist those responsible for planning and shaping the delivery of learning disability services in planning the nature of such placements.
The study will involve undertaking interviews with 8-12 fathers of adults with a learning disability. The sample population will be taken from the caseload of Community Learning Disability Teams in The Southern Health and Social Care Trust Area.
The study will be self-funded and is being undertaken as part of a Master of Science Degree in Nursing at Ulster University.
REC name
HSC REC B
REC reference
16/NI/0077
Date of REC Opinion
17 May 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion