The 'Keys to Life' Learning Disability Strategy update

Date: 20th March 2019
Category: Disabled children, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

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The Keys to Life framework update has been launched by the Scottish Government and COSLA. The 2015 Keys to Life in its original form focused on improving quality of life for people with learning disabilities, specifically around health outcomes. The latest update of the Keys to Life identifies what will be done to support people throughout their whole life journey. The framework was created in partnership with the Scottish Commission on Learning Disabilities (SCLD) and the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory.

There are 26,349 people with learning disabilities in Scotland. Currently, only 7% are employed and 6.2% are in further education. The Keys to Life sets out plans to raise the profile of employing people with a learning disability, as well as improving experiences in school and improving the transition from school to further education or employment. The framework also covers healthy relationships and the right to become a parent.

It commits Scottish Government to take a rights based approach, with the Scottish Government stating that:
“Human rights belong to everybody and our approach continues to be rooted in recognising those rights and embedding them at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to meeting our international obligations in full, including the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We take a human rights approach and our policies are grounded in the principles of Participation, Accountability, Non-discrimination, Empowerment and Legality”.

To read the Keys to life: Implementation framework and priorities 2019-2021 click here.