Last Updated on September 3, 2026

ARC England, in partnership with MacIntyre, has launched a new dementia and learning disability training programme. Now booking for dates from this month, the two-part interactive course has been developed in response to the growing need for specialist dementia education that reflects the experiences and needs of people with a learning disability.

ARC England and MacIntyre report that people with a learning disability are more likely to develop dementia, often experience symptoms before the age of 65 and can progress more rapidly through the condition than the wider population. Despite this, many professionals receive little training that focuses specifically on the intersection of learning disability and dementia, the organisations continue.

The course has been jointly developed by ARC England and MacIntyre and is co-designed and co-delivered with Jess Hiles, a self-advocate. The training combines professional expertise with lived experience, ensuring participants gain practical, real-world insight into supporting people with a learning disability and dementia from pre-diagnosis through to advanced stages of the condition.

It includes:

• Perspectives from across the learning disability, dementia and social care sectors, including people with lived experience.
• Signposting to high-quality resources and further learning opportunities.
• Practical, accessible tools that participants can apply within their own organisations and services.
• Opportunities for professionals from different disciplines to learn together and share perspectives.
• Delivery by trainers with professional expertise and personal experience of dementia and learning disability.
• A focus on implementation, with participants encouraged to apply learning between sessions and develop meaningful changes to their day-to-day practice.

The course aligns with Alzheimer's Society's recommendation that professionals supporting people with dementia receive at least eight hours of dementia-specific training. It also meets Tier 2 requirements of the Department of Health and Social Care's Dementia Training Standards Framework.

Commenting on the launch of the new training programme, Samantha Leonard, ARC England Director, said, 'Too often, professionals supporting people with a learning disability and dementia struggle to find training that addresses the unique challenges they encounter. This course brings together evidence, expertise and lived experience to provide practical guidance that can make a real difference to people's lives.'

Seb Moh, MacIntyre's Adult Social Care Director, added, 'Having lived experience at the heart of the training is so important. People with a learning disability deserve support from professionals who understand dementia and who can help them to live well for as long as possible.'

For more information and to book a place, visit the ARC England website.

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