10,752 people in Devon aged 18-64 are predicted to have a learning disability (baseline estimate). Based on population projections, this number will increase by 4% to 11,199 by 2030.

It has been estimated that 110 service users in Devon are living with carers over 70 years of age and this figure is likely to grow as people with learning disabilities and their carers live longer.

The Devon Learning Disability Health Needs Assessment 2008 states that other factors which also lead to an increase in the number of people with a learning disability include:

-       Longer life expectancy (especially for people with Down’s syndrome,) with the number of adults over 60 with ;learning disabilities expected to increase by 36% between 2001 and 2021

-       More children and young people with complex and multiple disabilities surviving into adulthood – this raises important issues for “Transitions Planning” (on average 35 children and young people with either a serve or profound multiple learning disability in Devon will transfer to adult learning disability services each year for the next four years.)

-        A rise in the reported number of school children with autistic disorder