Welcome to the

Scottish
Learning Disabilities
Observatory

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The Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory was set up to generate evidence and build understanding of the causes of poor health and health inequalities experienced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Alongside this we deliver a programme of world-class, evidence-informed teaching.

More about us

Health and care experiences

In this short film people with learning disabilities tell us about their experiences of health and health care.

News

SLDO team receives international collaboration award


Dr Arlene McGarty and Professor Deborah Cairns from the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory recently received the Scottish Universities Life Sciences Alliance (SULSA) International Collaboration award to strengthen relations with the University of Adger and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Norway.

After a successful visit to Norway in January, researchers from the University of Adger and NTNU joined Deborah and Arlene in Glasgow in March to discuss their planned research on cardiovascular health in adults with learning disabilities, along with discussions about future collaborations based on their expertise in digital health and disabilities. 

Glasgow-Sydney collaboration to improve access to colorectal cancer screening for people with learning disabilities

 

Professor Deborah Cairns and Dr Lauren Fulton recently visited with colleagues at the University of Sydney to further develop their collaborative project, 'Leveraging AI to support colorectal cancer screening for people with a learning disability'. This study aims to use voice AI technology to answer people’s questions about bowel screening in real time and
direct them to accessible screening resources, with the ultimate aim to increase access to screening among people with learning disabilities. Further collaborative work is planned between the University of Glasgow and University of Sydney to address the low uptake of cancer screening among people with learning disabilities. The team from the University of Sydney will visit Glasgow in June.

Drumming Up Change: new film launched February 2025


On 27th February we premiered the new film about Drumming Up Change with a screening and a Q&A with the project members. Drumming Up Change is a collaborative project involving SLDO colleagues Prof Andrew Jahoda and Roseann Maguire, with Fortune Works, Drumchapel High School and Strathclyde University. Drumming Up Change is about bringing young people and people with learning disabilities together through community activities in Drumchapel. You can now view the new film via https://bit.ly/41jmfFP and find out more about Drumming Up Change via www.drummingupchange.co.uk

Avoidable deaths in adults with learning disabilities

 

The latest findings from the Observatory show that young adults with learning disabilities are 9 times more likely to die prematurely from treatable or preventable conditions, compared to adults without learning disabilities. Found out more about this research

New film - This is Me: the story so far

 

We are proud to introduce a new short film which offers an update on what researchers at the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory and collaborators with learning disabilities, supporters and advocates have collectively been working on to take forward the calls for change that were heard in our award-winning 2022 campaign This is Me: Valuing the Lives of People with Learning Disabilities . 

Check out the new film here https://bit.ly/4hDu68E and find out more about this work 

Latest SLDO research

Reports & publications

 

We publish reports relevant to learning disabilities and autism policy and practice.

View our full list of reports and publications here.

Population profiles

Population characteristics

Number of people

26,349

with learning disabilities


31,712

with autism


5,295,402

all people


All population information

Health

Percentage of people with very good health

15.2%

with learning disabilities


37.4%

with autism


52.5%

all people


All health information

Housing and accomodation

People with learning disabilities in private households

11,886

Rented from council or housing association


8,927

Private ownership


2,203

Rented privately or living rent free


All housing and accommodation information

Employment and Education

People aged 16 and over with learning disabilities

12,098

Long term sick or disabled


2,460

in paid employment


1,975

students


1,934

retired


2,648

other


All employment and education information

Family

Percentage of people who live with a family

53.3%

with learning disabilities


82.7%

with autism


78.3%

all people


Health and social care spending

2014/15

£250,188,001

Health care spending


£697,310,000

Social care spending


Other topics

Country of birth

People born within the UK

25,599

with learning disabilities


30,689

with autism


4,926,119

all people


Language spoken at home

People speaking Gaelic or Scots

321

with learning disabilities


465

with autism


80,791

all people


Ethnicity

People who are white Scottish

20,875

with learning disabilities


26,842

with autism


4,382,131

all people