This is a short oral historical account of a former patient's working life inside and outside a learning disability hospital. After working in a variety of jobs inside the hospital, he obtained a pass to work outside the hospital, while still living there. After leaving, he continued to work in a variety of settings.

This article recounts the life-story of one man who was "diagnosed" as intellectually disabled in the early 1960s. It details the time he spent in a special residential school in the Irish Republic after acquiring this label and outlines the bullying and abuse he experienced. It includes his struggle as an adult to come to terms with his…

The history of long stay hospitals for people with learning disabilities has revealed that residents had ways of resisting their incarceration (Mitchell D, Traustadottir R, Chapman R, Townson L, Ingham N and Ledger S (editors) (2006) "Exploring experiences of advocacy by people with learning disabilities: testimonies of resistance"). This paper…

This article was first written as a presentation to the International Seminar held at the Open University in July 2008. It is based on cooperation between two women, Eyglo Ebba Hreinsdottir and Gudrun Stefansdottir, one who lived at an institution and another who worked there. Ebba moved to an institution in 1969 when she was 19 years old. Gudrun…

This article documents the ways in which both pupils and care staff spent their time in a residential school for children with physical disabilities and mild learning disabilities in the 1960s. It is told from the perspective of the author, who worked at the school as an assistant housemother, and two of her co-workers who responded to an…

This article examines the exploitation of patient labour at Kew Cottages, Australia's first purpose-built state institution for people with learning disabilities. Analysing historical evidence for the period 1887-1950 shows that unpaid patient labour contributed significantly to the economy of the Cottages and so to the government department of…

In the late 20th century, the day services which had been set up for adults defined as having learning disabilities became understood as problematic because of the effects of segregation. The new solution became the adjustment of services to support a governmental form of personhood; a model of personhood defined by independence, the ability to…

Mabel Cooper and Gloria Ferris spent their early adult life in St. Lawrence's Hospital in Caterham. This was in the late 1950s to early 1970s. This is their memories of how they spent their time. It includes the work they did and leisure. They also write about the tokens that were used in the hospital instead of money.

The article explores the changes in care over the years for people with a learning disability by focusing on the life story of one individual, Patricia Collen, who spent many years within an institution. Her story shows that it is possible for people with a learning disability to live a full and active life, either in the community or within an…

This article draws on life-stories told by older people with intellectual disabilities for a research study in the Republic of Ireland. Research participants recalled their experiences of confinement, coercion and exclusion that resulted from their being labelled as having intellectual disabilities. Participants also recalled the positive…

Equality of access to mainstream education environments for all, and more specifically for children with disabilities, is the documented policy of the United Nations, European Union and the Irish Nation State. Transition from historical segregation practices requires States' commitment to the provision of relevant resources. This paper argues that…

This article provides an account of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It describes why the Convention is important in asserting and safeguarding the rights of persons with disabilities and outlines its core values. It explores the nature of rights in the Convention with an account of the Convention as a blueprint for…

As part of a larger study to develop best practice recommendations for informing families of their child's disabilities, this study researched the elements of best practice required when communicating this news to families. It traced the convergence between these practice recommendations and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with…

The National Intellectual Disability Database that operates in the Republic of Ireland is unique in Europe and provides an opportunity to examine trends over time for a total population in excess of 25,000 people with intellectual disabilities and their care arrangements. This paper describes the changes over a 10-year period in the proportion of…

This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of the multi-element behaviour support (MEBS) model in meeting the rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and behaviours that challenge. It does this through explicitly linking the multi-element model to the guiding principles of a human rights based approach (HRBA) using a vignette to…