Choice in Intellectual Disabilities

Choice in Intellectual Disabilities
Name
Institution
Choice in Intellectual Disabilities
Introduction
According to statistics, 1.5 million people are affected by learning disabilities in the UK (Office for Disability Issues, 2008). Learning Disability is a common condition that last the entire life of the affected person. It is neither a disease nor an illness. The following characteristics can define individuals suffering from the disability: they are significantly impaired in terms of intelligence, impaired in terms of adaptive functioning or when the onset age occurs before the actual adulthood time (Robertson et al., 2007, p. 232). Individuals suffering from learning disabilities are unique people with their own history and opinions, likes and dislikes, and have rights that are the same to the ordinary people (Forder, 2007). Over the recent years, the health of people with learning disabilities (PLDs) has received attention from service development and policy makers. However, these efforts have been always geared towards reaction against negative reports and inquiries, trying to establish poor quality care and inequalities the groups of people have gone through (Gordon et al. 2007, p. 104).
Law and Policy: UK Policies and Disability
The four United Kingdom Countries have their individual policies on how the needs of the people suffering from learning disabilities to get worked on accordingly (Woodin et al., 2009). The policies individually describe a holistic approach that is essential in giving support to those with learning disabilities to get their full potential and get accommodated in the community. The objectives of the policies are to improve the overall quality of life and are designed on the following broad themes (Office for National Statistics):
Having choices and making personal decisions
Citizenship
Having equal rights
Social inclusion
Empowerment
Ireland Policy for people with learning disabilities
2005- Department of Health and Social Security Equal Lives: policy review and services for individuals with learning disabilities in Northern Ireland (Office for Disability Issues, 2008, p. 6).
Wales Policy
2001-Learning Disability Advisory Group fulfilling the promises: learning disability advisory group report
Scotland Policy
2013- The Scottish Government the Keys to Life: improving life quality for those living with the disability (General Register Office for Scotland).
England Policy
2009 - Department of Health, valuing people now: a new design three year strategy for those with learning disabilities.
These policies try to resolve the following issues for the people with learning disabilities:
The National Policy Context
This section looks at the current developments in policy regarding disability services. Two very critical reports about disability services were featured in the mid 1990s (Department of Health An Introduction to Direct Payments 2008):
Strategy for Equality, which was to find out the Status of People with Disabilities (1996). The commission proposed a redesign and restructuring of all the disability services and a change in the legislation that was under force at that time to allow for the provision “in the mainstream.”
Towards an Independent Future: this was a report for the social services and health of people suffering from Sensory and Physical Disabilities (1996) which was published by the Department of Health. This report got borrowed from the World Health Organization and United Nations as a guideline, which aimed at: enabling people sensory and physical disabilities to live an independent life as much as possible.
These two reports have formed the base for the development of NPSDD (National Physical and Sensory Disability Database) and the NIDD (National Intellectual Disability Database), which were formulated to aid in service planning (Townsley et al., 2009 p. 88). Most of the responsibilities related to service provision were laid on the Health Boards present at that time. The suggestion was to try and go with independent life, which entails accommodating themselves, for instance, services provided by the Cheshire Island and the Irish Wheelchair Association (DOH, 1996).
By the year 2000, Ireland had come up with a progressive legislation on people with disability equality. The Equal Status Act of 2000 and 2004 protects the disabled people from discrimination in line to the provision of goods and services. The law calls for those selling goods or providing services to “act responsibly or reasonably to take care of the needs of people with disability.”
The National Health Strategy Report, Quality and Fairness: the Department of Health and Children came up with “Health System for You,” which brought in a major concept “mainstreaming” in line to offering services for people with disabilities. It is the role of the state agencies and the government departments to offer services for those with learning disabilities while they offer their services to the general public. The report got adopted by NESC 2005 (National Economic and Social Council); “tailored universalism,” a new service delivery framework for equal participation of everybody with disabilities in the community (Harlock, J. 2009).
These were the 2004 legislation developed by National Disability, earlier known as the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, being accompanied the Disability Act 2005. The public bodies were, therefore, mandated to “mainstream” all their service provision to offer equal access. It also included access to public employment and building, and to issue Sectorial Plans for their area of operation/responsibility designed out of the consultation with the disabled people. These new frameworks conferred upon the disabled people important rights that included needs assessment and services statement received. However, no successful implementation has taken effect to date (Dickinson and Glasby, 2010).
Towards 2016, of, the state’s effort towards support for the choice of citizens with disability encapsulated in a “vision”:
“An Ireland where the disabled citizens, have to the greatest levels possible, the chance to live a life full with their families as the whole part of the local society, free from discrimination”
Moving away from the Congregated services, a Community Inclusion Strategy (2011). Considered the disabled people’s situations, mostly the intellectual, who were housed in a residential care in a group based model (McEvoy et al., 2008). This scenario was counter to the current independent motion. The intention of the motion was “community care” that boasted of greater autonomy. Later, the Personal Support Services for the disabled adults came in; this made the day service delivery more responsive, flexible and person-centered. The system focuses mostly on outcome measurement evaluation systems and quality assurance (Brown et al., 2006 p. 22).
A 2012 report by the Department of Health was all about Policy Review and Value for Money for the Disability in Ireland. The point of departure of this document is, first, the disjunction the disability policy and good practice as stated above, specifically in relation to “congregated settings.” Secondly, it addressed the act that the current system does not effectively and efficiently responds to the needs and wishes of the intellectually disabled people. Lastly, the current costs are unsustainable on the disability service provision (Woodin et al.,2009 p. 5).
The document proposes:
Change in approaches to funding, governance and focus of the disability services programs, moving away from the centered-based approach towards a person-based model and individually “chosen” approaches. The document restates the vision towards 2016 as (Stainton and Steve, 2004):
“A community where the citizens get support to take part in social life and the economic activities with their full potential. To gain access to services and a wide range of quality personal social help/support to promote their well-being and quality of life”
It aims at establishing responsive, cost-effective and accountable system that will provide support for self-determination and inclusion of the people with disabilities.
Choice, Control and Independent Living for the PLDs in Ireland
“Independent living” can be translated as having the same degree of self-determination and the same range of options that the not-disabled persons take for granted. A major component of the independent living notion includes living in a society like everyone else instead of living in some institution. Sin England, the disabled people; have taken a major role in the design of ideas about attaining independent living through User Led Organizations (ULO) and independent living initiatives. The affected people have contributed most of these policies pertaining to independent living (Robertson et al., 2007, p. 232).
In UK, the term independent living is used to refer to models of service provision and funding that offer support to individuals living with learning disabilities to live as full citizens with control and choice over the way in which care get provided for (The King's Fund, 2009). Further, the learning disabled people should live in a community where other ordinary people live. However, the term “personalization of services” is often used in the government documents to refer to services that facilitate “choice and control.”
In England, strategies, guidance material and policy statements acknowledge that individuals with disabilities have the potential for choice and co...