Knowing, being or doing? A comparative study on human service professionals’ perceptions of quality in day-to-day encounters with clients and students with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

What does it mean to decide, act and behave in a professional manner towards people with intellectual disabilities? This article analyses how professionals from three welfare organizations describe quality in daily encounters with people with intellectual disabilities. Four hundred and twenty-one respondents participated in the study. Our empirical data consisted of written excerpts exclusively. Findings revealed that quality in encounters with people with intellectual disabilities was associated with personal attributes, pertinent knowledge, professional actions and ideological awareness. Findings also show differences in responses, both quantitatively (frequency) and qualitatively (content), which seem to be associated with organization. This reflects that human service organizations, as normative environments, underpin ideas about relevance and appropriateness in day-to-day situations, forming actions and perceptions among its members. Our conclusion is that organizational context needs to be considered to enhance our knowledge on how different categories of professionals view quality and moral worth when working with people with intellectual disabilities.

Factors associated with positive work experience among professionals supporting people with intellectual disabilities: a comparative analysis of three welfare organisations in Sweden

“…Attached to the email was a link to the survey, and informants agreed to participate by clicking on the link. Several studies drawing on the dataset have previously been published (Ineland and Hjelte 2018 , Ineland et al 2018 , Ineland et al 2019 ).…”

Quality in professional encounters with students who have intellectual disabilities – experiences from special needs upper secondary schools in Sweden

“…Expanding in the 1990 s, community living and acceptable living conditions for all have been strongly emphasised. A 'society for all' has been a guiding principle in the planning, organising and implementing of various organisational settings and support systems that provide services for people with disabilities (Ineland and Hjelte 2018). In recent decades, disability policies have developed from a strong belief in large-scale and centralised public services to an increased emphasis on individual freedom, diversity and freedom of choice (Ineland, Molin, and Sauer 2019).…”

“…Teachers are expected to demonstrate professionalism through their attitudes and behaviours. They are also expected to be capable of critically evaluating how their knowledge and educational environment may influence professional encounters and enhance the quality of interactions with students (Hasenfeld 2010;Ineland and Hjelte 2018). However, given that, compared to students, teachers have greater insight into the education system and, consequently, have different insights into the knowledge upon which they act, these encounters are often described as asymmetrical in nature (Ineland, Molin, and Sauer 2019).…”

“…Other studies have been more focused on how contextual circumstances such as policies regarding inclusion or empowerment are expressed in everyday interactions between teachers and students (see, for example, Finlay et al 2008). However, Ineland and Hjelte (2018) have drawn attention to what characterises quality in professional encounters with people with intellectual disabilities. The authors primarily had comparative ambitions and analysed the differences and similarities in the views and perceptions of professionals working in social services, health care and schools.…”

Legitimacy and ambiguity: institutional logics and their outcome for people with intellectual disabilities

“…Community living and "normal" living conditions for all citizens has been strongly emphasised since the 1990s. A "society for all" has been a guiding principle in planning and organising settings and support systems for people with disabilities (Ineland & Hjelte, 2018). In recent decades, Sweden has implemented far-reaching legal and policy reforms in respect of people with intellectual disabilities.…”