Back to home

Learning disabilities

Print this page

Having a learning disability (easy read)

What it means to have a learning disability

A learning disability is:

when you find it hard to understand information

A learning disability is:

when you might need help and support with some everyday tasks

This might be household tasks, looking after your money and communicating with other people.

A learning disability is not a learning difficulty.

A learning difficulty is when a person finds one or two things difficult, like reading or writing.

Dyslexia and dyspraxia are learning difficulties.

A learning disability is not a mental illness.

A learning disability is not Autism.

A learning disability is not a physical or medical illness.

People with a learning disability can still do lots of things.

You can:

volunteer or work
go to college
go to groups or activities
have relationships
live a full and interesting life

A person with a learning disability might find some things hard.

Such as:

thinking about things
making decisions
understanding and remembering information

You might need help with:

planning journeys
using money
telling the time
learning new things

Why some people have a learning disability

Some people are born with a learning disability and we do not know why.

Other times it is because of something that happened before or after you were born.

A learning disability is:

not something to be embarrassed about
not caused by something you have done
not something people should be upset with you about

You can ask to find out if you have a learning disability

You will need to have an assessment from the Adult Learning Disability Team.

An assessment means you will be asked some questions about:

things you find difficult and need help with
things you enjoy
your life and how you feel

How it might feel to be told you have a learning disability

You might feel happy to know why you need help with some things.

You might feel angry or upset knowing that you might need support to do these things.

You might feel confused.

It might be a lot of information to think about.

Talking about how you feel can help you feel better.

What changes if you have a learning disability

Having a learning disability means you might be able to get some support.

This might be:

money called income support or benefits to help you live
staff or carers to help you look after yourself
support groups or activities
going to a day centre or college
having a health check every year

Having a learning disability means services should make changes to help you.

You should be given information in a way you understand.

You can ask to have longer appointment times.

This is the law, a law is like a rule that services need to follow.

Discrimination (Disability) (Jersey) Regulations 2018

Contact us

+44 (0) 1534 445600

learningdisabilityservice
health.gov.je

Adult Learning Disability Service
Eagle House
Don Road
St Helier
Jersey
JE2 4QD

Back to home

Learning disabilities

Print this page