To be empowering, the research must be designed with a group of people who have decided to obtain power, and then must be conducted so that the group learns how to do the research as well as decides what research needs to be conducted. (Sample, 1996: 320) This article describes a project in which Bristol Self Advocacy Group members visited similar groups in their area, and carried out group interviews based on their own research questions. Some academic researchers appear to question the genuine research involvement of people with learning difficulties and I attempt to answer some of these views. The group has already published, in their own names, their views about the process of doing research and their findings (Palmer & Turner, 1998; Palmer et al., in press), and have produced a booklet aimed at other self advocacy groups (Finding Out, 1999). However, in view of the importance of such a group expressing their own viewpoint directly, a word of explanation is in order about the authorship of the present article. It arose originally from my attempts to summarise for the Research Group some of the literature mentioned in this paper, which resulted in an ‘alternative paragraph’ article, in which I wrote one point, and one group member responded in the next paragraph. That project is still in progress, but in the meantime, the group members wanted me to write the present article. I include their own words and writings at several points, but this remains essentially my account of what has happened.

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Disabled people are regularly denied their human rights, since policies and laws are hard to translate literally into practice. This article aims to make connections between social practice theories and Disability Studies, in order to understand the problems faced by disabled people, using different methods to look in detail at how practices are shaped and how disabled people get excluded. Disabled people are active agents in making change, both informally on an everyday basis and through formal actions. Thus we also suggest that the insights of disabled people could bring a fresh perspective to social practice theories, by troubling the taken-for-granted in our everyday lives.

Summary Until recently, the carer's perspective has dominated research on families who include someone with a learning disability and recent legislation has underlined the carer's rights. Previous research has found that some more able people with learning disabilities were very aware of their parents' growing needs, and were taking on responsibilities within the family to help and support their carer/parents. However, recent legislation still dichotomizes family members into carers and cared‐for people. The present paper is based on a research study of the impact of the UK Carers Act 1995 on families with someone with a learning disability. It involved canvassing the views of people with learning disabilities about their experience of assessments and their relationships within the family. The present authors found that many people with learning disabilities expressed empathy for their carer's point of view and that several people (including some who had high support needs themselves) were performing care tasks for their elderly parents. However, no one appeared to recognize the situation as one of mutual care, and parents generally carried on defining themselves as carers since they took responsibility and exercised control. The present authors conclude that mutual caring is far more common than is recognized and includes people with severe learning disabilities. A more holistic approach to assessment of needs is required that can take into account the complex web of interdependence within a family. Rather than categorizing people into ‘carers’ and ‘cared‐for’, the present authors suggest a model that recognizes mutually supportive partnerships within the family.

It is increasingly recognized that people living with dementia should be included in qualitative research that foregrounds their voices, but traditional research approaches can leave less room for flexibility than is necessary. This article builds on others who have examined the challenges and rewards of the qualitative research process with people living with dementia. With reference to a specific project on communication and dementia, the research design adaptations needed at each step to turn a “misfit” into a “fit” are examined. Misfitting, as a concept related to social practice theories, is used to argue the need for a coproduced and flexible approach to research design and data collection. Recommendations include being willing to adapt research methods, data collection locations, and aims of the project to fit participants’ competencies, preferences, and realities; spending sufficient time getting to get to know staff and potential participants to build relationships; working round care practices and routines to minimize disruption; and using observational/visual methods can help include people living with dementia at each stage. People with dementia require researchers in the field to be creative in their methods, reflexive in their approach, and person-centered in their goals. Those adaptations can fundamentally change the ways in which the social practice of research is shaped.