ABSTRACT
The Department of Health in England and Wales now use the phrase ‘people with learning disabilities’. In the UK most professionals and service providers also refer to ‘learning disabilities’; however, some self-advocacy organisations such as People First, prefer the term ‘learning difficulties’ (The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities 2003). As a result some professionals, particularly in child services, use this term. Research and user group surveys have made clear that other terms, which in some cases are still in common currency, such as mental retardation, mental handicap and mental subnormality, have become terms of abuse, are offensive and have contributed to social marginalisation and stigmatisation.
