Grief and Learning Disabilities

There is no set way to grieve. Adults and children with learning disabilities may experience and express grief in ways that can be overlooked, misunderstood, or attributed to other causes, leaving important grief needs unrecognised and unsupported.

This interactive training explores how bereavement may uniquely impact people with learning disabilities and equips participants with practical approaches to provide compassionate, person-centred support.

Together, we will consider concepts such as disenfranchised grief and secondary losses, explore barriers to support, and identify strategies that help people navigate grief in ways that are meaningful and accessible to them.

Drawing on practical resources, social narratives, and current research, this course will strengthen your confidence in providing compassionate bereavement support to people with learning disabilities.

Please note: This course is designed for anyone supporting people with learning disabilities, as defined in the NHS guidance on Learning Disabilities. While connections with ADHD, autism, and neurodiversity will be acknowledged, the primary focus is grief and learning disabilities. For a more in-depth exploration of grief and neurodiversity, please see our Grief and Neurodiversity course.

Health Warning:

As you would anticipate, the content of our courses discuss themes of death, dying and bereavement. Before registering for our training, we encourage all participants to consider their individual wellbeing needs, particularly those who have recently been bereaved or consider themselves as actively grieving.