– The paper is a commentary (an outline or explanation) about the theme of this edition (supporting independence) from the point of view of people with learning difficulties. The paper has been co-written by people with and without learning difficulties.
– The paper is based on discussions using several open prompt questions around what people understand by independence and why it is important to them.
– The team found that being listened to and taken seriously, having real involvement in the community, good support that is personalised and co-produced services are all key to ensuring people can be as independent as possible.
– The paper is uniquely co-written by people with and without learning difficulties and provides an insight into why independence is so important for people with learning difficulties.
