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Direct support professionals and reversed integration of people with intellectual disabilities: impact of attitudes, perceived social norms, and meta-evaluations
- Authors:
- VENEMA Eleonora, OTTEN Sabine, VALSKAMP Carla
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 13(1), 2016, pp.41-49.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Direct support professionals (DSPs) play an important role in the process of integration of people with intellectual disabilities. Nevertheless, little is currently known about what determines the level of effort exerted by DSPs to enable the social integration of their clients. The aim of this study was to investigate three different psychological determinants (attitudes, social norms, and meta-evaluations) of the behavioural intentions of DSPs to facilitate the social integration of their clients. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 DSPs working in a setting of 'reversed integration,' as well as 25 family members and 25 neighbours. The DSPs’ perceived social norms and meta-evaluations of neighbours and family members were compared with their actual social norms and evaluations. The authors found that half of the DSPs interviewed were positive about integration, whereas the other half were negative or neutral. Concerning social norms, the DSPs expect neighbours to have neutral attitudes toward the integration of people with intellectual disabilities, while in reality the neighbours are very positive. More than half of the DSPs were uncertain about the family members’ opinions about integration. Asking the family members themselves, there was some variation in their attitudes toward integration. Regarding the meta-evaluation, DSPs had a realistic idea about how their work would be evaluated by family members and neighbours; both groups were positive. It is evident that this group of DSPs had an overly negative idea of neighbours' opinions about integration and contact with people with intellectual disabilities. Creating awareness of a supportive social norm in the neighbourhood could help and encourage DSPs to strive for social contact between their clients and neighbours. (Edited publisher abstract)
Almost invisible – providing subtle support in community settings
- Authors:
- BATES Peter, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 17(4), 2012, pp.156-162.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
For some people, their only opportunity to connect with the community occurs when staff accompany them. However, subtle support that allows a person to become more independent, less reliant on services, and more socially included is a complex business. This article aims to investigate some of the pitfalls and potential of supporting people on a one-to-one basis in their community in order to stimulate improvements in practice. It discusses a range of situations via several vignettes and draws advice out of these for support workers and their managers. Staff are encouraged to plan carefully so that they can hold back from doing too much for the person, engage as full participants rather than passive bystanders, and seek opportunities for the person to develop informal connections in the community. Managers are encouraged to develop risk management systems that promote contact with ordinary citizens and a culture of community participation through training and mentoring support staff. In order to overcome the many pitfalls of supporting someone in the community, staff need training, time to discuss their experiences, and recognition that it is an ongoing challenge with no easy solutions.
Commentary on “Almost invisible – providing subtle support in community settings”
- Author:
- JONES Edwin
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 17(4), 2012, pp.163-168.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This paper provides a commentary on Bates et al.'s paper (ipid, pp.156-162) which discusses the importance of subtle support and some of the pitfalls and potential of supporting people with learning disabilities on a one to one basis in their community. This paper reflects on the account, making some points to stimulate further contributions to the debate. It argues that subtle support is important, but it is necessary to be clearer about what it entails. In particular, the paper focuses on support for people with more severe intellectual impairments who sometimes have challenging behaviour. These people are most in need of support but may be less likely to get it. The paper concludes by discussing the need for staff training in positive interaction in order to enable workers to provide active, but also subtle, support.
The role of support staff as people move from congregated settings to group homes and personalized arrangements in Ireland
- Authors:
- IRIARTE Edurne Garcia, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 20(2), 2016, pp.152-164.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
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 personalised 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 personalised community arrangements, where they support became increasingly more personalised and geared towards community participation and development of social relationships. Implications for staff training are drawn. (Edited publisher abstract)