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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met

@learningmet.bsky.social
577 followers 182 following 116 posts

We do research with people with learning disabilities, autistic people, and their families. We are committed to social justice and more equal research practice. Join our mailing list for event news: forms.office.com/e/SihkWJ4eYE

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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Join us for our next seminar on Weds 14th Oct, 12pm BST with Charlie Grosset (@sheffielduni.bsky.social), sharing research with disabled people who care for others, arguing that we must recognise disabled people's contributions & challenge ableism in care systems. www.eventbrite.com/e/dishuman-c...
eventbrite.com
Dis/human - Centring Disabled People in Care as the Driver of Human Inquiry
The Learning Disabilities and Autism Research Group invites you to a hybrid seminar.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Thank you to @lucygobag.bsky.social for a powerful, brave and appropriately critical talk. The call to collective activism has been a theme of the Social Murder Festival, to shine a light on social murder and refuse to accept it. Thanks to @sarasiobhan.bsky.social and the team for the week's events.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Bearing witness in activism. Frustrates her that grieving families and marginalised people have to call out injustice - takes "constant vigilance". Has seen the state do terrible things to people who speak out, but we need to be braver than ever. "The one thing the state is afraid of is a chorus."
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Pandemic planning was based on "triage" (involved looking at comorbidities) - it took other people calling this eugenics before Prof Easthope realised people with learning disabilities paid a high price for triage policies. The Darwinian approach to planning continues.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Talks about Grenfell disaster, where disabled people were widely placed - social erasure thru the 'stay put' policy which condemned people to death; authorities' knowledge of the risks. Impairment was on death certificates, making people look complicit in their won deaths - diagnostic overshadowing.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Notes widespread use of the term "complex" and "complexity" in disasters. Used to silence people & families. Gets resistance to use of 'institutional racism' - but starkly true that learning disabled adults die on average aged 34 (62 for white learning disabled people; 81 for non-disabled people).
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Has been censured for using "social murder" for preventable deaths of learning disabled people - using @sarasiobhan.bsky.social 's work - but these are people murdered because of the decisions of those in power. Uses Engels to challenge - when society *know* and does *nothing* this is murder.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Discussed the importance of keeping a contemporary archive of events, e.g. on social media, which she began doing on X during the Covid pandemic. Vital activism and reporting by @georgejulian.bsky.social 's work blogging/sharing the inquests of learning disabled and autistic people.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
Prof Easthope talks about her early experiences of the Hillsborough disaster and her decades of research and social justice activism since. Distrust of the state. In all the disasters she has covered, "choices were made." "The plans of government have no space for human complexity and messiness."
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
[Thread] Professor Lucy Easthope is Visiting Professor of Social Justice and Bereavement in our department, the UK's leading expert on disaster recovery, and the author of 'When The Dust Settles: Searching for Hope After Disaster.' @lucygobag.bsky.social www.hachette.co.uk/titles/lucy-...
hachette.co.uk
When the Dust Settles
Lucy's new book Come What May: Life-changing Lessons for Building Resilience and Hope is OUT NOW The thrilling, unputdownable true story of a life lived a...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
As part of the Social Murder Festival, we're hearing from Lucy Easthope today, on Lessons for Challenging Social Murder from a Lifetime Working in Disaster www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lessons-fo...
eventbrite.co.uk
Lessons for challenging social murder from a lifetime working in disaster
Join Lucy Easthope, Visiting Professor of Social Justice and Bereavement, for a discussion on challenging social murder.
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Naomi L. Jacobs @naomijacobs.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
Privileged to hear from so many activists & self-advocates at the Social Murder Festival at @learningmet.bsky.social today - calling for an end to preventable deaths of people with learning disabilities. Part of a week-long event including lobbying at the House of Lords. @sararyan57.bsky.social
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Our next research seminar is next Weds 10th June at 12 (online). We'll be hearing from Amanda Hill about research with family members into their experiences of the Court of Protection - an under-researched area - which is rooted in Amanda's own experiences. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/family-exp...
eventbrite.co.uk
Family Experience of the Court of Protection
Please join the Learning Disability and Autism Research Group for their next seminar with Amanda Hill.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
Join us for our monthly seminar on Weds (13th May) at 12pm with Dave Wilson. Dave's research explores the experiences of families of people with learning disabilities who are placed in 'out of area' residential homes, away from their families and communities. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/out-of-are...
eventbrite.co.uk
Out of area residential homes for people with learning disabilities
The Learning Disabilities & Autism Research Group invites you to Out of area residential homes for people with learning disabilities.
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Naomi L. Jacobs @naomijacobs.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Today's @learningmet.bsky.social seminar is on autistic people and cancer & cancer services, with @georgiarivers.bsky.social , @kmunday.bsky.social , Char Goodwin & Rosie Tansley. Dr Georgia Rivers first, on PhD research with autistic transmasculine people on experiences of cervical screening.🧵
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
Our research seminar today is on autistic people’s experiences of cancer and cancer services, with @georgiarivers.bsky.social , @kmunday.bsky.social cial, Char Goodwin and Rosie Tansley. See @naomijacobs.bsky.social 's thread here for more! bsky.app/profile/naom...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
We're researching experiences of complaints about social care for family carers of people with learning disabilities. Please get in touch with Francesca below if you're interested in taking part. #Complaints #LearningDisability
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
The collective reflected on power - exploring it through drama, gatekeeping in the arts, how they make decisions together. Can we value behavioural consent/'no' as much as much as verbal? What does taking responsibility involve? They aim to challenge the 'accepted'. Thank you for sharing your work!
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 11/02/2026
Brilliant seminar with #UncurbedCollective today - a #disability arts company based here in Manchester. They wove together performance and discussion. The collective reflected on how they are working to co-create theatre and share power (in organising and performance). uncurbed.co.uk?gad_source=1...
uncurbed.co.uk
Home | Uncurbed Collective
Disabled-led performance, arts and theatre company. Unapologetic. Uncompromising. Uncurbed.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 06/02/2026
Please join us online on 11th March for our next (extended) research group seminar, on autistic people’s experiences of cancer and cancer services. Speakers: @kmunday.bsky.social, @georgiarivers.bsky.social, Char Goodwin and Rosie Tansley. Sign up at www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/autistic-p... #AutRes
eventbrite.co.uk
Autistic People's Experiences of Cancer and Cancer Services
The Learning Disabilities and Autism Research Group at Manchester Met invites you to a online seminar about autism and cancer
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 17/12/2025
The latest in Chris Hatton's blog series on 2024/5 social care stats & adults with learning disabilities - on finances. "Spending less isn't any kind of solution - working with people with learning disabilities and those close to them to spend it better is." chrishatton.blogspot.com/2025/12/soci...
chrishatton.blogspot.com
Chris Hatton's blog
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Qs: How to change stuck systems (influence at local level?) Importance of gender & intersectionality (mothers particularly blamed). It was important to families to have evidence through research. Thanks to Prof Clements & Dr Aiello for such important research. #DisabilityStudies #AcademicSky 5/5
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
System-generated trauma: Dealing with the system was families' most traumatic experience. Family courts were intimidating. Iatrogenic harm from medical professionals. Structural violence (those in power cause harm by doing nothing). Change in systems can be so slow, despite research & evidence. 4/
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
The book argues that change requires social care professionals to think & act differently and to start with the assumption that parents are the best placed to understand their child, their needs & preferences. Worked with parent groups who said expertise is not always recognised/taken seriously. 3/
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Parent Blame Report - families said LA social care assessments were traumatising; a focus on safeguarding/child protection rather than support was intimidating, intrusive; lack of training; unlawful practices. Campaigning for change to policies - statutory guidance should have a focus on support. 2/
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 10/12/2025
Today's seminar is from Professor Luke Clements & Dr Ana Laura Aiello @lawatleeds.bsky.social - findings from their book 'Understanding Parent Blame' - research with families on traumatising social care experiences, in policy & legal context, and campaigns for change essl.leeds.ac.uk/law/news/art...
essl.leeds.ac.uk
School of Law academics tackle Parent Blame in new edited collection
Professor Luke Clements and Dr Ana Laura Aiello have published a new edited book titled 'Understanding Parent Blame: Institutional Failure and Complex Trauma' with Policy Press.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 02/12/2025
Please share: Join us online or in-person on 10th December 2025 (12pm-1pm) for our next seminar: Understanding Parent Blame with guest speakers Professor Luke Clements and Dr Ana Laura Aiello. All welcome! More info and booking at the link below: #LearningDisabilityResearch #AcademicSky #AutRes
eventbrite.co.uk
Understanding Parent Blame
The Learning Disability and Autism Research Group invites you to a hybrid seminar with Professor Luke Clements and Dr Ana Laura Aiello
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House of Lords Autism Act 2009 Committee @hlautismactcom.parliament.uk · 24/11/2025
🚨 ♾ Our report out yesterday calls on HM Government to deliver an effective new autism strategy. Open this link committees.parliament.uk/committee/77... to view the following: - Full report - Easy Read report - Report summary with conclusions and recommendations - Shorthand
committees.parliament.uk
New autism strategy must deliver change for autistic people - Committees - UK Parliament
This is the key conclusion reached by the House of Lords special inquiry committee on the Autism Act 2009 in its report ‘Time to deliver: The Autism Act 2009 and the new autism strategy’.&...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
New article from team member Naomi Jacobs, sharing findings from research with disabled members of churches on the right to participate in religious institutions, in the light of the Equality Act www.scienceopen.com/document?vid...
scienceopen.com
“I Just Didn’t Fit into the Way That They Did Church”: Barriers to Access and Participation for Disabled People in UK Churches
<p xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" class="first" dir="auto" id="d1540803e97">Disabled people have rights to practise their religions under equality and human rights l...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
2/3 Comedy challenges ideas of what is normal. There may be "like-mindedness" between autistic people but everyone is different. Which identities are we afforded (allowed)? Reflected on autistic spaces, culture & challenges to these. More on Nathan's work here london.sunderland.ac.uk/about/staff/...
london.sunderland.ac.uk
Nathan Keates
I work as a lecturer at the University of Sunderland in London having joined the Health and Social Care department in 2023. I teach on both the foundation and top-up programmes.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
We had a great Research Group seminar today from Dr Nathan Keates, on Autistic Relations: Like-mindedness, Identities and Community. Through comedy improvisation, Nathan's research explores autistic people's ways of being social - as distinctive rather than a problem. #AutRes #AcademicSky 1/3
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 11/11/2025
Please share! Reminder to please join us tomorrow (online or in-person @manmetuni.bsky.social) for the next free event in our research group seminar series. Please click the link below for information and booking: #AutRes #Autism #ActuallyAutistic #AutismResearch #AcademicSky
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Please join us online and in-person this Wednesday (12th November) for the next event in our seminar series with Dr Nathan Keates - ' #Autistic Relations: Link-mindedness, Identities, and Community'. The event is free to attend and all are welcome! Please follow the link for more info and booking:
eventbrite.co.uk
Autistic Relations: Like-mindedness, Identities, and Community
The Learning Disabilities and Autism Research Group invites you to a hybrid seminar by Dr Nathan Keates
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 30/10/2025
Updates on #Employment #Statistics for adults with #LearningDisabilities 2025/25 from Professor Chris Hatton's blog: chrishatton.blogspot.com/2025/10/empl... #AutRes #AcademicSky #Statistics #LearningDisabilityResearch
chrishatton.blogspot.com
Employment and adults with learning disabilities in England - 2024/25 update
Towards the end of October each year, the government publishes statistics about adult social care for England for the previous financial yea...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 08/10/2025
Thank you so much for coming, Penny! We are so glad you enjoyed the symposium.
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Emma Gleave @egleave1.bsky.social · 30/09/2025
Professionals with experience of providing psychological therapy to adults with learning disabilities needed for research to develop a therapeutic working alliance measure for this population. Click here: forms.gle/L8TYrjxBBGhC... Please share @learningmet.bsky.social #LearningDisabilityResearch
forms.gle
Developing a working alliance measure for adults with intellectual disabilities: Focus group
Primary researcher: Emma Gleave, Trainee Clinical Psychologist, University of Sheffield Research supervisors: Dr Gregg Rawlings, Prof Nigel Beail, and Dr Nik Vlissides
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 03/10/2025
Please share! The @digitallifeline.bsky.social project is looking for family carers, supporters, and professionals to take part in a research workshop about their experiences of supporting people with learning disabilities who received free digital devices during the COVID-19 pandemic. #AcademicSky
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 25/09/2025
Please join us for a symposium on Religions, Faith Communities & Disability, 8th Oct 12-2pm, online. @krysiawally.bsky.social, Bernice Hardie and @jpuddlegoose.bsky.social will share research and action for inclusion in faith communities and beyond. Sign up: tinyurl.com/3pdjmn4d #AutRes #AcademicSky
A flyer for an online symposium with white text and speakers' photos on a brick wall background. Text reads: Wed 8th October 12-2pm. Religions, Faith Communities and Disability. Online symposium with speakers Dr Krysia Waldock, Bernice Hardie and Fiona MacMillan. Chaired by Dr Naomi Jacobs. Link to event via Eventbrite.
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Digital Lifeline Research @digitallifeline.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
Thank you so much to the #DownsSyndromeAssociation for sharing our call for research participants. Did you support someone with a learning disability with a free digital device they received during the pandemic? Contact us to join one of our online workshops and share your experience:
downs-syndrome.org.uk
Digital Lifeline - Downs Syndrome Association
Researchers would like to hear from people with learning disabilities as part of an assessment of the government's Digital Lifeline Fund.
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 04/09/2025
Prof Chris Hatton has blogged about the recently-released LeDeR Annual Report 2023, including some worrying inconsistencies and trends there. "It looks like less attention and less scrutiny is being paid of the deaths of people with learning disabilities." chrishatton.blogspot.com/2025/09/lede...
chrishatton.blogspot.com
LeDeR Report 2025 - a first look
This is a blog post based on my first reaction to the much delayed latest version of the LeDeR report. As you’ll see, I didn’t get as far t...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
"The book highlights the enduringly impoverished lives and premature deaths people labelled with learning disabilities experience globally and suggests that such structural violence amounts to social murder." @sarasiobhan.bsky.social www.routledge.com/Critical-Hea...
routledge.com
Critical Health and Learning Disabilities: An Exploration of Erasure and Social Murder
This empirically grounded book presents a critical, interdisciplinary perspective on social and cultural issues related to the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities. Through an exp...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 08/08/2025
Professor Sara Ryan's new book 'Critical Health and Learning Disabilities: An Exploration of Erasure and Social Murder' is out today. There's a Plain English summary on our website: learningmet.mmu.ac.uk/resources/
learningmet.mmu.ac.uk
Resources - Learning Disability and Autism Research Group
People with learning disabilities, erasure and social murder This resource explains more about Professor Sara Ryan’s book, ‘Critical Health and Learning Disabilities: An Exploration of Erasure and Soc...
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Did someone you work with receive a free tablet during the #COVID-19 pandemic? We want to hear about their experiences through our @digitallifeline.bsky.social accessible online survey. They could win £100 for taking part! #SelfAdvocacy #LearningDisabilities #AutRes #AcademicSky #DigitalInclusion
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 09/07/2025
"The Government just don't even have a clue about what the pandemic has done to people like me, with an [intellectual] disability." Findings from research on ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic for people with learning disabilities. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... @suecaton.bsky.social
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
Three Years on From “Stay at Home”: Perspectives of People With Intellectual Disabilities About the Ongoing Impact of the COVID‐19 Pandemic
Background People with intellectual disabilities were disproportionately negatively affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, but there has been limited research about the perceived longer-term impact....
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 08/07/2025
'Our investigation of the experiences of public witnesses shows that, from their standpoint, FtP hearings are experienced as inherently unfair.' Follow the link to read more about findings emerging from the Witness to Harm project: @francescaribenfors.bsky.social @sarasiobhan.bsky.social
sciencedirect.com
Iatrogenic injustice: an institutional ethnography of Fitness to Practise hearings
The public has an important role to play in the regulation of health and social care, including raising concerns about harms caused by health and soci…
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 04/07/2025
In this short video, Professor Sara Ryan, research group lead, and Professor Chris Hatton share more about the Learning Disability and Autism research group at @scswmcrmet.bsky.social @manmetuni.bsky.social. #AcademicSky #AutRes #LearningDisabilityResearch #ResearchGroup #ManMet
mmutube.mmu.ac.uk
BAP - 6704 Chancellor's Dinner Research Film V10
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
On Friday, we had a great first meeting with a new oversight group - people with learning disabilities, autistic people & family carers. They will be giving feedback on our team's research. We've been calling them the Critical Friends group, but watch this space - they're working on a better name!
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 27/06/2025
For more information about the @medmentalhealth.bsky.social project, along with useful resources for talking about mental health medications, you can visit the project website: medmentalhealth.net #MyMedicationMyMentalHealth #AcademicSky #LearningDisabilityResearch
medmentalhealth.net
Medications and My Mental Health
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Digital Lifeline Research @digitallifeline.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
Please share! Did your organisation support people with #LearningDisabilities to get set up with free tablets through the #DigitalLifelineFund in 2021? We want to hear from you! #LearningDisabilityWeek #AcademicSky #AutRes #Survey #SocialResearch #DigitalInclusion #DigitalLifeline
Do you know someone with a learning disability who got a tablet in 2021 through the Digital Lifeline Fund?

They could win up to £100 for telling us about their experiences (with multiple chances to win!) and your organisation will get a thank-you payment for connecting us with them.

E-mail us: digitallifeline@mmu.ac.uk for more
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Learning Disabilities & Autism at Manchester Met @learningmet.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
You can also read #comics about the stories of people with #LearningDisabilities, #carers, #families, and #prescribers: 📖: medmentalhealth.net#page-a #LearningDisabilityWeek #AcademicSky #MentalHealth
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