Oxfordshire has launched a new 10-year plan designed to help adults with learning disabilities live fuller, more independent lives, with the county council saying the strategy has been shaped directly by people with lived experience, families, carers and support organisations.
The Oxfordshire Learning Disability Plan 2025–2035 has been developed by Oxfordshire County Council with partners including the NHS Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West Integrated Care Board, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, district councils, providers and voluntary groups such as My Life My Choice, Oxfordshire Family Support Network and Style Acre. The council says the plan was co-produced and co-designed with local people and will now guide work over the next decade.
What is in the Oxfordshire Learning Disability Plan?
The strategy is built around four main themes:
- Having a good life, including support with employment, friendships, relationships and participation in community life.
- Health and wellbeing, including better access to health services, prevention and support for healthy lifestyles.
- Having a place to live, including housing choice, supported living and independence.
- Homes not hospitals, focused on community-based support and reducing avoidable hospital admissions.
The full plan also includes four cross-cutting areas running through all of the themes: transitions and life changes, the workforce, assistive technology, and equality, diversity and inclusion. Council documents say the plan will be reviewed with people after three, five and seven years to keep it up to date.
How the plan was developed
According to Oxfordshire County Council, more than 160 people took part in a public consultation in June and July 2025, including more than 95 people with a learning disability. That built on earlier engagement in late 2024, including a county “world café” event, dedicated sessions, focus groups across five community support services, and “sharing your story” submissions.
The Cabinet report that approved the strategy in January 2026 says the plan was developed through “extensive engagement and consultation” and was structured as an easier-to-read document, with dynamic work plans sitting alongside it to show how action will be delivered in practice.
Why the plan matters
The strategy lands against a difficult national and local backdrop. The county’s own plan says that, as of 31 March 2024, there were 3,257 people aged 14 and over recorded on Oxfordshire GPs’ learning disability register. It also says that while 78.6% of people on that register had an annual health check, people with learning disabilities still face far poorer health outcomes than the general population.
The plan includes a stark reminder of those inequalities, noting that women with a learning disability die on average 23 years younger than women in the general population, while men die 20 years younger. It also highlights higher rates of epilepsy, dementia, hearing loss and mental health problems.
Against that backdrop, the council says the new plan is intended to move beyond services alone and focus more clearly on opportunity, choice and belonging in everyday life.
“It makes me feel good and happy that the council listens”
The new strategy will be overseen by the Learning Disability Improvement Board, which is co-chaired by Dawn Wiltshire, who has lived experience, and includes representatives with learning disabilities and family members.
Abul, 36, from Headington, who is a member of My Life My Choice and part of the “having a good life” subgroup, said he welcomed the opportunity to be involved.
He said: “I like that it’s online and face to face so it’s inclusive for people. It’s good for people with lived experience to have a say on important decisions which affect us.
“It makes me feel good and happy that the council listens to my views.”
Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said the strategy was about “listening and acting”.
Accessible materials and future updates
The council says supporting information for the plan will be made available in accessible formats, including easy-read versions, BSL videos, symbol-supported formats and real-life stories. Live Well Oxfordshire says these materials are intended to make the plan easier to understand and engage with over the long term.
Major reviews and communications refreshes are planned after three, five and seven years, with case studies and updates expected to be shared during the 10-year period.
What this could mean in practice
Much of the significance of the plan will depend on how it is translated into day-to-day action. The linked dynamic work plans set out practical ambitions ranging from improving information on supported living options and housing rights to co-deciding healthy living priorities and creating better resources for families and carers.
For Oxfordshire residents with learning disabilities and their families, the test will be whether the county becomes easier to navigate, more supportive and more inclusive over time — not just in specialist services, but in health, housing, community life and everyday independence.
At a glance
What: Oxfordshire Learning Disability Plan 2025–2035
Launched by: Oxfordshire County Council and local partners
Main themes: Having a good life, health and wellbeing, having a place to live, homes not hospitals
Consultation: More than 160 people took part, including over 95 people with a learning disability
Reviews planned: After 3, 5 and 7 years
Accessible materials: Easy-read, BSL, symbol-supported formats and lived-experience stories
FAQs
What is the Oxfordshire Learning Disability Plan 2025–2035?
It is a 10-year strategy setting out how Oxfordshire County Council and partners plan to improve support for adults with learning disabilities, including in health, housing, community life and independence.
Who helped create the plan?
The council says it was co-produced with people with learning disabilities, families, carers, support providers, health services and voluntary sector organisations. More than 160 people took part in consultation.
What are the four main themes?
The four themes are having a good life, health and wellbeing, having a place to live, and homes not hospitals.
Will there be accessible versions of the plan?
Yes. Live Well Oxfordshire says the supporting materials will include easy-read versions, BSL videos, symbol-supported formats and real-life stories.
How many people in Oxfordshire are on the learning disability register?
The plan says that, as of 31 March 2024, there were 3,257 people aged 14 and over recorded on GP learning disability registers in Oxfordshire.
