About the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory

What does the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory do?

Based within the University of Glasgow School of Health and Wellbeing, the Observatory delivers rigorous, inclusive and impactful research and teaching that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities.

Our vision and mission

Placing the lived experience and expertise of people with learning disabilities, families and carers at the heart of our work, our world-leading research, evidence-based interventions and teaching will provide critical knowledge and understanding to help address and improve the health and social inequalities experienced by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the UK and internationally.

We will have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of people with learning disabilities through:

Multidisciplinary research to understand the causes and identify and develop solutions to address the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities
Meaningful and inclusive collaborations with people with learning disabilities, families, third sector organisations and the health and social care sectors
Supporting postgraduate students and professionals through high quality research degrees and research-led teaching programmes

Our objectives

To address inequalities experienced by people of all ages with learning disabilities
To empower people with learning disabilities to contribute to social and scientific innovation through research participation and engagement
To provide cutting-edge knowledge and skills for researchers and health and social care practitioners
To influence policy development and inform innovative practice through robust research and evidence-informed interventions.

Who we are

Our research group members are from diverse backgrounds including medicine, social sciences, psychology, public health and health informatics. This includes expertise from colleagues who have been working in the field of learning disabilities at the University of Glasgow for over 25 years.

Policy and legislation

As a strategic delivery partner of the Scottish Government's learning disabilities policy team, the Scottish Learning Disabilities Observatory will work collaboratively with people with learning disabilities and people with autism, as well as families, carers and other policy teams to help deliver the goals of health improvement and equality outlined in national policy.

Our impact

Find out more about how to generate impact through partnership and collaboration.