learning disabilities

Overview of CAMHS services for children and young people with learning disabilities

We provide a service to young people aged 0–18 years and their families across North Derbyshire (excluding Glossop) who have:

Moderate to severe learning disabilities* and challenging behaviours and/or mental health problems and/or relationship difficulties.

For young people with learning disabilities, mental health problems present quite differently to the general population. It can be very difficult for someone with a moderate to severe learning disability to express their thoughts and feelings due to the fact they struggle to communicate their needs.

Therefore, young people will often express how they are feeling through the things they do rather than what they say. This is sometimes called ‘challenging behaviour’ or ‘distressed behaviour’. Common difficulties might include: self-injurious behavior, hitting out, refusing to do things, and becoming repeatedly distressed, or maybe appearing more anxious or depressed. The LD CAMHS service is primarily based around the mental health needs of the child rather than the learning disability itself.

Referrals can be made by a GP, your school, a social worker or any NHS professional.

* Please note, a 'learning disability' is a global impairments of learning and development, impacting on all areas of a young person’s life, as opposed to a ‘learning difficulty’ which is more specific (such as dyslexia or dyspraxia).

Kliknij tutaj, aby pobrać ulotkę informacyjną w języku polskim na temat niepełnosprawności intelektualnej.

Did you know, physical health can have an impact on mental wellbeing and behaviours. People with learning disabilities, aged 14 years old + are entitled to a free annual health check, click the link to find out more: https://joinedupcarederbyshire.co.uk/about/our-governance-1/ld

Getting support from voluntary services

Please download our Voluntary Sector and Community Services for Children, Young People and Families leaflet to see the details of list of a range of support services for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder and/or Learning Disabilities.