The views of people with intellectual disabilities to

Roy McConkey, University of Ulster

Promoting the social inclusion of people with learning disabilities - an impossible dream?

What do we mean?

What excludes?

Promoting inclusion What makes a difference?

Creating Social Capital

Talking to People

Being accepted

What does it mean to you to be included?

More Opportunities

Community Activities

What do we mean by inclusion? Number friends Community Activities with friends

Visitors to home Community Activities with staff

What do we mean?

What excludes?

Promoting inclusion

Percentages no friends outside their home 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

Supported Living Dispersed

Supported Living Clustered

Small Group Home

Residential Home

Campus

Visitors to home in past month 60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0% Supported Living Dispersed

Supported Living Clustered

Small Group Home

Residential Home

Campus

Mean number of activities in last month 6

5.7

5.7

5.5

5.2

5

4.8

4.5

4.1 4 (N=132)

(N=103)

(N=152)

(N=138)

(N=95)

Clustered Supported Living

Dispersed Supported Living

Small Homes

Residential Homes

Campus Settings

McConkey et al, 2005

Likelihood of community participation Dispersed Living (5.7x) Clustered Living (4.1x) Small group Homes (3.8x) Residential Homes (2.8x) Higher Competence (2.4x)

McConkey et al, 2005

Barriers to Social Inclusion

Barriers to Social Inclusion e.g. Poor knowledge of the area

Staff and Management e.g.Not allowed to go out alone

The community

The home / scheme

Abilities and Skills

e.g. Name calling and bullying

e.g Few community facilities nearby

What do we mean?

What excludes?

Promoting inclusion What makes a difference?

What makes a difference? No challenging behaviours

Female

Visitors to home

Number friends

Activities with friends Can travel independently

Sharing with less than 4 people

Living in dispersed housing

Activities with staff Can’t travel independentl y

Type of goals •Social activities

90%

•Entertainment activities •Sport / Exercise activities •Increasing independence •Work or training activities

34% 29% 26% 25%

• Increasing social contacts • Increasing contact with family

14% 10%

Percentage goals met 80

9 months later another 9 months later

70

60

50

40

30

20 Dispersed Supported Living

Clustered Supported Living

Small Homes

Residential Homes

What helped •Staff support

60

•Facility available •Friends to go with •Staff assistance

18 13 12

• Family support • Own transport

7 4

What hindered? •No plans made •Change mind

36 27

• Facility not suitable • Person not able

17 15

• No money • No staff • No friends

10 10 9

What do we mean?

What excludes?

Promoting inclusion What makes a difference?

Creating social capital

Percentage Outcomes Present in samples by years 85

Interact Friends

80

Participate 75

70

65

60

55

50 1997

1998

Gardner and Carran 2005

1999

2000

2001

2002

Staff priorities in their job 14

Care tasks

12

10

8

6

4

Social Inclusion tasks

2

0

Supported Living 1

Shared Housing 2

Day centres 3

McConkey & Collins, 2009

Nature of the relationship Promoting development

•Trust •Listener •Adviser •Forgiving •Insightful

Reliable Ally Providing stability

Mutual Gains

Creating Social Capital Decision-makers

Linking Bridging Bonding Woolcock and Narayan, 2000

Bridges to Social Inclusion

Barriers to Social Inclusions

Culture within Unified Sports •Personal Development •Inclusive and Equal Bonds •Positive Representation •Alliances

Culture outside Unified Sports •Segregated lifestyles •Negative attitudes to Intellectual Disabilities •Low expectations

Unified Sports

Social Inclusion

Work

Education

Friends

Communication Participation

Housing

Transport

Health

Support Staff

Service Managers People with a learning disability Local communities

Local Communities

Government Policy

Further Information r.mcconkey @ulster.ac.uk

Attributes of support staff Listening

Trustworthy

Companion accompanies

Giving space – respecting autonomy

Mutual Engagement

Being with YOU, and for YOU

Adviser/ Problem solver

Practical Assistance

Creating Opportunities Available – goes extra mile

Creating Communities Developing People’s Abilities and Skills

Awareness raising in the community

Reviewing service procedures and staff roles

Greater access to amenities