The aim of the course is to increase the knowledge, confidence and skill of staff and carers who are involved in communicating sad, difficult or break bad news to a person with learning disabilities.

This can be any type of news, including illness, death, bereavement, changes in living situations, or anything else the person with learning disabilities may experience as “bad news” but the primary focus will be on death related bad-news.
The course content reflects NISCC Induction Standards: ‘Communicate Effectively’ Protect the rights and promote the interests and wellbeing of service users and carers; Treating each person as an individual; Treating people with consideration, respect and compassion.

By the end of the course learners will:

• explore how people with learning disabilities understand and communicate about illness
• explore the experiences and preferences of people with learning disabilities, families and professionals around breaking bad news
• identify the factors that affect breaking bad news to people with learning disabilities
• explore models of understanding the process of grief & Complicated grief
• explore stories from people with learning disabilities sharing their experiences of bad news
• have an opportunity to work on a specific breaking-bad-news scenario and also bring their own bad-news scenario for discussion and learning.