In the murky past of learning disability research, researchers were guilty of exploiting a power imbalance between themselves and the service users they were studying. However, as David Ferguson explains, the shift towards an inclusive culture has seen the emergence of a new generation of researchers whose strategies now enable these clients’ voices to be heard

Part of my role as research co-ordinator in the learning disability directorate of West Hampshire Trust is to promote a research culture. I believe a sound and explicit body of knowledge will inform and contribute to an evidence-based approach to practice. Reviewing the literature is a key component in this.