The role of support staff as people move from congregated settings to group homes and personalized arrangements in Ireland

Abstract

The movement of people with intellectual disabilities into the community is increasingly endorsed by public policy. Whilst staff are critical to a successful transition to the community, there is only scattered research on their role in supporting people to move. In this study, 32 staff and the 16 people with intellectual disabilities they supported to move from congregated settings to group homes or personalized living arrangements in the community were interviewed on two occasions, before (time 1) and after (time 2) the move. In congregated settings, staff steered the move to community living, they helped them to settle in community group homes and supported them to increase control over their lives in personalized community arrangements, where they support became increasingly more personalized and geared towards community participation and development of social relationships. Implications for staff training are drawn.

The role of professionals in promoting independent living: Perspectives of self‐advocates and front‐line managers

“…However, in order to make progress in the social inclusion of people offered support, and in accordance with the suggestions made by Bigby and Wiesel (), García Iriarte, Stockdale et al. (), and Power (), we propose that training actions aimed at professionals should strengthen those skills that allow them to analyse local contexts, identify sources of support and establish strategies that will enable people with disabilities to expand and maintain their natural networks in inclusive contexts. This involves prioritizing the community as a scenario where they perform a large part of their professional functions, beyond the context of the service itself or the home where the person lives.…”

“…As found in the study by García Iriarte, Stockdale et al. (), the professionals stated that much progress is needed to incorporate the social model in both managing support and professional practice. In this sense, some of them acknowledged that the institution itself is sometimes an obstacle that makes it difficult for them to transform their support due to the difficulty of abandoning the care‐based view that has permeated the services culture for decades.…”

“…Although support from professionals (whether support staff, direct care workers, front‐line managers or house managers) is a crucial element in advancing the right to independent living for people with intellectual disabilities (Bowey, Mcglaughlin, & Saul, ; Dodevska & Vassos, ; Hatton, Wigham, & Craig, ; McGlaughlin, Gorfin, & Saul, ), little attention has been paid in research to the role of professionals in supporting independent living processes (García Iriarte, Stockdale, McConkey, & Keogh, ; Hastings, ; McConkey & Collins, ). In addition, most of the literature published on this topic has only focused on the views of the professionals themselves (Dodevska & Vassos, ; Hatton et al., ).…”

“…Recent research conducted in Ireland by García Iriarte, Stockdale et al. () and based on interviews with people with intellectual disabilities and professionals who supported them in their transition from residential to community living spaces has provided rich data on the transformation of the role in providing support for people moving from congregated group homes and personalized living arrangements.…”

“…The above studies highlight professionals' perceptions regarding their change in function given the transformation from a clinical model based on rehabilitation to a social model focused on providing support for people to achieve social inclusion (García Iriarte, Stockdale et al. ()). On the other hand, views expressed by people with disabilities suggest that support professionals' interpersonal skills (e.g., ability to listen, keeping calm, honesty, willing to help, kindness, respectfulness) should be taken into account along with their professional skills and knowledge (Dodevska & Vassos, ).…”