Supporting people with learning disabilities dealing with loss

Sarah and Tania work for a user led organisation for people with learning disabilities in Leeds. The organisation wants people to have more power and control in their lives. Connect in the North has done this for over 30 years through training, consultancy, information and signposting.

Tania Woodhouse is a trainer with learning disabilities. She has delivered training alongside Sarah for the last 12 years. Tania delivers courses to people with learning disabilities, professionals and family carers. She is also a member of the Rooots training team who are all trainers from minority ethnic communities.

Tania started delivering bereavement training after being part of a project called ‘Let’s Talk About Loss’. This was a series of sessions for people with learning disabilities to discuss and understand their feelings of grief. The first group of participants wrote a training course with Sarah for professionals and families. Tania regularly delivers this and shares her personal experiences and those of her peers.

Sarah Wheatley has worked as trainer for Connect in the North for over 20 years. She delivers courses to professionals and organisations about how we can improve the lives of people with learning disabilities. Her work with families and people with learning disabilities is about citizenship, relationships and having a voice.

Sarah ran a bereavement project with groups of people with learning disabilities over 2 years. She worked with people with learning disabilities to write training for staff and families. The training is about people’s experiences and what would support them better.

The Webinar –

Tania and Sarah will share people with learning disabilities experiences of death and grief. They will expel common myths and suggest ways that people can be included when someone has died.

The session will also look at -

· How to have difficult conversations

· Using words people can understand

· Some of the difficulties people with learning difficulties have understanding death

· The importance of ritual and tradition when processing grief.