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Understand the importance and methods of prevention and early intervention for learning disabilities. Learn how primary and secondary prevention can help mitigate challenges. Discover the potential in giving children a better start in life to prevent emotional and behavioral needs. Explore factors contributing to persistent conduct difficulties in children with learning disabilities. Evaluate the effectiveness of prevention services for challenging behaviors and mental health issues.
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Prevention & Early Intervention Eric Emerson, Chris Hatton & Janet Robertson Centre for Disability Research Lancaster University
Background • ‘Prevention is the first step ....’
What Do We Mean by Prevention? • Primary prevention stops need/difficulty occurring • Secondary prevention intervenes early to prevent an emerging need or difficulty from getting worse • We can think about preventing • the development of learning disabilities • the development of specific needs (and need for support and services) among people with learning disabilities
Prevention is Possible • In general, giving children a better start in life will prevent some children developing significant emotional or behavioural needs • This also appears to be true for children with learning disabilities
Risk of Persistent Conduct Difficulties Across Age 4/5, 6/7 & 8/9
Prevention is Possible • We know quite a bit about why some children and young people with learning disabilities show challenging behaviours • Communication, power and control • Untreated physical and mental health problems
Do Prevention Services Work? • In general, YES • In relation to challenging behaviours and learning disabilities, we just do not know • But • We know they should • We know that they do not have to be that effective to be cost effective • So why do we not take this issue more seriously? eric.emerson@lancaster.ac.uk