Learning Disabilities Nursing & Social Work

Learning disabilities nursing and social work together represent a powerful commitment to supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society. Learning disabilities nurses work with people who have intellectual disabilities across a lifetime, supporting their health, wellbeing, and quality of life in care homes, community settings, hospitals, and specialist services. Social workers assess need, coordinate support, advocate for the rights of individuals and families, and navigate complex systems on behalf of those who need help.

Combining these two professions in a single degree gives you a distinctively broad set of skills and qualifications for working with people with learning disabilities and their families.

At Edge Hill University, this four-year full-time programme is uniquely structured to lead to dual eligibility for registration with both the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a qualified learning disabilities nurse and with Social Work England as a practising social worker. This is an unusually ambitious qualification, and the programme is designed to prepare you for the full responsibilities that both registrations carry. You will study health and wellbeing, person-centred care, safeguarding, mental capacity, communication, and the legal and policy frameworks that govern both nursing and social work practice.

Substantial practice placements in a range of settings are integrated throughout the programme, giving you direct experience of working with people with learning disabilities and their families, carers, and support networks.

You will develop the empathy, communication skills, professional judgment, and resilience that both nursing and social work demand, alongside the knowledge to support people's health and social care needs holistically.

Graduates are eligible to work as learning disabilities nurses and social workers across the NHS, local authorities, independent providers, and the third sector. The dual qualification is highly valued by employers who are increasingly seeking professionals who can bridge health and social care. Career development can lead to specialist roles in challenging behaviour, forensic services, advocacy, and management.