Emotional well‐being for all: mental health and people with profound and multiple learning disabilities

Abstract

SummaryThis article considers the emotional well‐being of people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. It identifies the factors that have particularly affected this group of people: an historical failure to acknowledge their human status; deficit‐based services, a lack of voice and communication barriers. Whilst these factors are of importance to all people with learning disabilities, evidence is presented that those with profound and multiple learning disabilities are the most likely to experience challenges to their mental health and the least likely to receive appropriate support. A strategy for developing our understanding and good practice in the area is suggested. This prioritizes areas for future work and suggests that a collaborative approach is most likely to yield positive outcomes for these individuals.