Models of promising practices on independent living and inclusion in the community for people with significant support needs

This research aims to provide useful data, concepts, and analysis of models of promising practices in the context of independent living for persons with significant support needs.

Abstract

Recent insights on the living environment of people with disabilities highlight the need for a smart transformation of support services towards better quality that creates empowerment and person-centred forms for Independent Living (IL) in the community. Different acts and policy reforms already underline a required change to improve IL. However, there is a gap between theory and practice and this study aims to clarify certain causes as well as exemplify five promising practices in different welfare states. First ‘people with significant support needs’ are defined and the complexity of the topic is developed by a conceptual framework for models of support in IL. Secondly, promising models are investigated. Findings prove that a diversity of perspectives, definitions, and approaches on the topic contribute to a lack of common definitions and knowledge. The five promising models demonstrate the invisible interactions between different actors, variables and factors that determine a support model for IL.

REPORT