The potential for inclusion: young people with learning disabilities experiences of social inclusion as they make the transition from childhood to adulthood

Abstract

Young people with learning disabilities have occupied a marginalised position within discussions around the transition from childhood to adulthood and this is reflected in their absence from the mainstream literature on the subject. The same can be said of their position in relation to debates around citizenship status and again, they have not been considered to the same extent as other groups of young people. This paper aims to redress this balance by exploring the experiences of a group of 20 young people as they negotiated this period of transition. It is hoped that providing an account of some of their experiences will increase our understanding of citizenship and the potential for inclusion not only for young people with learning disabilities but also for other marginalised groups of young people. The paper focuses in particular on young people's experiences of further education, training and employment and highlights the ways in which they negotiate (or not) a range of barriers and challenging situations.

Keywords:

• citizenship
• disabilities
• exclusion
• transition
• Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)