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Future aspirations of students with severe learning disabilities and of their parents on leaving special schooling
- Authors:
- SMYTH Marisa, McCONKEY Roy
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 31(1), 2003, pp.54-59.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The majority of school-leavers over 2 years from two special schools in Belfast were individually interviewed as were their parents. The almost unanimous wish of the young people to have a job was not matched by the parents, although nearly half of the parents did express the wish that they would have at least part-time work. The majority of young people and the parents envisaged living with the family albeit for different reasons. However, there was a strong emphasis on fostering the young person's independence and living with friends. Consequently, only a minority of families mentioned their son or daughter moving into traditional residential care settings. It is argued that it is not just the availability of services that need to increase in order to meet the aspirations of the young people and their parents; major changes are also needed in their form and function.
The impact on social relationships of moving from congregated settings to personalized accommodation
- Authors:
- McCONKEY Roy, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 23(2), 2019, pp.149-159.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
A natural experiment contrasted the social relationships of people with intellectual disabilities (n = 110) before and after they moved from congregated settings to either personalized accommodation or group homes. Contrasts could also be drawn with individuals who had enduring mental health problems (n = 46) and who experienced similar moves. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in each person’s residence on two occasions approximately 24 months apart. Multivariate statistical analyses were used to determine significant effects. Greater proportions of people living in personalized settings scored higher on the five chosen indicators of social relationships than did persons living in grouped accommodation. However, multivariate statistical analyses identified that only one in five persons increased their social relationships as a result of changes in their accommodation, particularly persons with an intellectual disability and high support needs. These findings reinforce the extent of social isolation experienced by people with disabilities and mental health problems that changes in their accommodation only partially counter. (Edited publisher abstract)