Intellectual Disabilities Studies: 5N1652

An elective module of the Healthcare Support Certificate and other healthcare related certificates. This module deals with caring for a person with an intellectual disability looking at the various models of care and support agencies that are available to support people with an intellectual disability and their families.

Learning Outcomes

• Categorise the range of terms which have been used to label people with an intellectual disability as inappropriate and appropriate labels
• Define the terms intellectual disability and multiple disability
• Identify the advantages and disadvantages of both the medical and social models of support
• Recognise the effects of caring for a person with an intellectual disability on close and extended family members
• Define the term front line staff
• Promote the following in caring for a person with an intellectual disability: Dignity – Choice – Relationships – Contributing
• Promote positive attitudes toward people with an intellectual disability
• Outline the history of services to people with an intellectual disability in Ireland
• Explore past and current attitudes toward people with an intellectual disability
• Examine own attitude toward people with an intellectual disability
• Identify how the policies and practice of a given organisation reflect the attitudes of that organisation toward people with an intellectual disability
• Explain the known causes of intellectual disability
• Describe the levels of intellectual disability and how these are assessed
• Outline the potential impact of a multiple disability on a person
• Provide examples of services to persons with an intellectual disability that illustrate the medical and or social models of support
• Outline current approaches toward developing quality in the provision of services to persons with an intellectual disability and their families, to include standards and quality assurance
• Identify examples of progressive models of service delivery both from Ireland and from other countries
• Outline the range of physical, social, emotional, psychological and spiritual needs of persons with an intellectual disability
• Explain the role of the following in relation to individuals with an intellectual disability, their families and staff: Physiotherapist – Occupational Therapist – Speech and Language Therapist – Social Worker – Psychologist
• Explain the role of front line staff in providing individualised support to persons with an intellectual disability in accordance with their preferences and needs
• Illustrate the importance of working as part of a team in meeting the needs of persons with an intellectual disability

 Assessments

• Examination Theory 40%
• Assignment 60%

 Transfer

Successful completion of this component award enables the learner to transfer to programmes leading to other certificates where this component is an elective requirement.