A tool to help identify learning disabilities in homeless people

People who are homeless are at higher risk of physical and mental health problems. This risk increases in those who have learning disabilities. Many homeless people may have a learning disability that is not recognised, meaning they miss out on receiving the support they need. However, to be able to help them, we need to start by identifying who they are. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the use of the Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire in a homeless service. Nine service users completed the questionnaire, and researchers and staff members completed it about the service users. The results indicated good feasibility and inter-rater reliability. This article describes the study background, procedure and outcomes, suggests ways of adapting the questionnaire for use in homeless services, and outlines the potential role of nurses.