Mencap is a non-profit organization.

Everything we do is focused on valuing and supporting people with learning disabilities, as well as their families and caregivers. Our vision is of a world in which people with learning disabilities are valued equally, heard, and included.

The association changed its name to The National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children in 1955, and its first project, the Orchard Dene short-stay residential home, opened in 1956.

The National Society launched the Brooklands Experiment in 1958, which was a groundbreaking project. This study compared the progress of children with learning disabilities who were hospitalized to that of a group of children who were moved to a small family environment and cared for using educational activities similar to those found in normal nurseries. After two years, the children in the home-like setting demonstrated significant improvements in their social, emotional, and verbal skills. The experiment's success was widely publicized around the world.

Higher Education Act

The patron of Mencap

Mencap's influence and campaigning work resulted in the inclusion of people with learning disabilities in the Further and Higher Education Act. People with learning disabilities were included in a new national survey of disabled people. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother became the patron of Mencap in 1986.

2000s

Corporate Strategy

The government issued a white paper titled Valuing People in 2001. The Countess of Wessex became Mencap's patron in 2004. Mencap launched its new five-year corporate strategy, Equal chances, in 2004, with the goal of ensuring equal opportunities in life for all people with a learning disability.

The government issued a report titled 'Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People' in 2005, outlining plans to improve the quality of life for disabled people by 2025.

Mencap celebrated 60 years as the leading UK charity for people with learning disabilities in 2006

The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Mencap rebranded in 2008 as part of plans to make the organization more modern and dynamic. This included the release of FSme, a new font created in collaboration with people with learning disabilities. Valuing People Now, a three-year plan for learning disability services in England, was published by the Department of Health in 2009.

The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities the same year. It reaffirmed that people with disabilities have the same human rights as people without disabilities. The International Paralympic Committee voted to re-include athletes with learning disabilities in the Paralympic Games at the end of 2009.