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Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging
Exploring learning disabilities: supporting belonging

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5.3 Living with my family

This final section of this session looks at the perspective of young people with learning disabilities living with their families. The statistics quoted in the introduction to this session showed that it is far more common for people with learning disabilities to remain with their families into adulthood than it is for non-disabled people – though this may be changing for millennials.

In the next activity you will hear Charlene, Cian, Terry, Dayo and Shaun, who you first met in Session 1, talking about living with their families.

Activity 6 Living with my family

Timing: Allow about 15 minutes.

First watch and listen to Charlene, Cian, Terry, Shaun and Dayo talk about living with their family. Then, using cut and paste, put the ideas they mention (shown in the box below) into Table 1 using the headings given.

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Video 6
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I love my family to bits My mum was over protective
I spend too much time with my family I didn’t get the chance to go off to university
I’m always very close to my family Whenever I go out they always call up to make sure I’m OK
My mum needs my help more than I need her help They don’t treat me like an adult
There isn’t much option for me to live independently My mum is pretty chilled out
My mum was trying to hide me from society My gran taught me about the birds and the bees
My mum and my dad broke up, it completely went in reverse
Table 1 Views on living with family
I like living with my family I don’t like living with my family Things changed when …
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Words: 0
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Answer

Table 1 Views on living with family (completed)
I like living with my family I don’t like living with my family Things changed when
I love my family to bits My mum was over protective My mum needs my help more than I need her help
I’m always very close to my family We spend too much time together Mum and dad broke up, it went completely into reverse
My mum is pretty chilled out I didn’t get the chance to go off to university  
Whenever I go out they call up to make sure I am OK My mum was trying to hide me from society  
My gran taught me about the birds and the bees They don’t treat me like an adult  
  There isn’t much option for me to live independently  
     

These responses are as mixed as you might expect, and easily as mixed as the family perspective.

Did you notice how family relationships change over time? Terry in particular spoke about this, as now that his mum is getting on she is in need of Terry’s help as well. The relationship is becoming more reciprocal, and better as a result.