Employing Peer Workers in Learning Disability Services
Watson, Emma Bowker, Lindsay Charles, Ashleigh Christophi, Sophia Colledge, Remie Cooper, Stacy Dalton-Bates, Amy Dexter, Daisy Hodgkinson, Ruth Majid, Madiha
Watson, Emma
Bowker, Lindsay
Charles, Ashleigh
Christophi, Sophia
Colledge, Remie
Cooper, Stacy
Dalton-Bates, Amy
Dexter, Daisy
Hodgkinson, Ruth
Majid, Madiha
Abstract
This briefing paper explores how peer support workers (people who are employed to use their lived experience to offer supportive relationships with people using health services) might be introduced into Learning Disability (LD) services. In the last decade or so, we have learnt a great deal about peer support in mental health services, and the evidence base for these roles has grown, alongside a collective acknowledgement of their importance in services. However, the spotlight in this service area has left others in the dark.
The potential for peer support is almost endless; there are few groups who do not benefit from it. It is even reasonable to argue that the more marginalised and stigmatised an experience is, the greater the potential for peer support. The NHS 10-Year Plan (DHSC, 2025) emphasises the importance of personalised, community-based care, and to truly realise this vision, it's vital that peer support is also developed within learning disability services, where lived experience can offer a unique connection, trust, and insight that traditional models often miss.
In order to do this, we must take the time to understand how formal peer support is best offered among people with learning disabilities, who have traditionally been left behind or overlooked. This paper brings together evidence, real-world examples and emerging practical guidance, identifying the systemic improvements needed to ensure meaningful inclusion. The experiences discussed reflect both deep enthusiasm for peer support and the complex realities of embedding these roles into often rigid or inaccessible systems.
Affiliations
Imroc; Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust: Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust; University of Nottingham
Citations
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Date
2025
Type
Report
Subject
Collections
Citation
Emma Watson et al. (2025) Employing peer workers in learning disability services. Imroc. Available at: https://www.imroc.org/publications/29-employing-peer-workers-in-learning-disability-services (Accessed: 7 May 2026).