There is still often confusion and ignorance concerning people with learning disabilities, according to a new survey, released to coincide with the launch of a new campaign to increase awareness.
The initial results of an in-depth survey of 2002 people to gauge public attitudes towards learning disability – by Mencap and Ipsos MORI – revealed that:
• Only 30% said they would feel comfortable sat next to someone with a mild learning disability in the cinema, or during a show or concert
• 6% of people say they would feel uncomfortable using the same swimming pool as someone with a more severe learning disability
• 27% of people think that learning disability is a form of mental illness
• Just 10% of the public say they have seen someone with a learning disability featured in newspapers or magazines in the past six months and only 14% being talked about in TV news reports
• Only 61% of people strongly disagree that people who have a learning disability are a burden on society
• Almost 40% of people were not sure if people with a learning disability were a burden on society or not.
You can read more here: http://bit.ly/choiceforum4