The use of family therapy for people with learning disabilities

The application of the systemic approach in working with people with learning disabilities, their families and their support systems has grown over the last decade in the UK. The way in which the family, support systems and wider contexts interact with each other may affect how the person with learning disabilities presents for help to services, and will also affect engagement, expectations and possible solutions to crises. If the relationship in focus is the person's behaviour in a family setting, family therapy may be useful to explore relational difficulties within the family. This article considers the issues that might benefit from using this model, explains how to include the adult with learning disabilities in the process, and summarises the evidence of its effectiveness.