Background: There is strong evidence about the effectiveness of Active Support. Recent research has established predictors of good Active Support as staff training, practice leadership, and service setting size. This paper explores features of organisational leadership and structures predictive of Active Support. Methods: Multilevel modelling with…

Background: It is mandatory for staff in Swedish community services for people with intellectual disabilities to report incidents of error or malpractice. Aim The aim is to study if incident reports contribute to developing quality in services for people with intellectual disabilities who present with challenging behaviours. Method: 159 reports on…

Background: People with intellectual disability experience elevated rates of mental ill health. Yet they face barriers in accessing appropriate individualised mental health care. Further research is required to learn about the capability of the mental health workforce to facilitate access and participation in quality mental health care for this…

Background: Factors that enhance the social exclusion and limit the social inclusion of adults with intellectual disability undermine their health and wellbeing. Thus it is important to reduce the impact of such factors. This may be achieved by deepening the understanding of the enablers and barriers to social inclusion, which were explored in…

Background: This study aimed to analyse the self-evaluations of physicians and physiotherapists, from different specialisations, about their preparedness for work with people with intellectual disability (ID), and what they considered were the most significant barriers in working with people with ID. Both the physicians and physiotherapists…

Background: Despite the expressed desire for access to information on care providers and increased availability of this information, the use of available information falls short of expectations. We lack research on the decision-making processes and on how these processes are influenced. A study that employs "real-life" decisions is…

Background: Disability research data often exist in the form of individual records located within discrete registers that may extend across sensitive political boundaries. Method: This paper discusses the opportunities and challenges associated with using linked health and administrative data for disability research, with examples from research…

The quality of the work that paid support staff carry out within services for individuals with intellectual disability is clearly crucial to achieving positive quality of life outcomes for service users. Despite this fact, support staff have been relatively neglected as a focus for research within their field. That is not necessarily to say that…

Background: Organisational and service level factors are identified as influencing the implementation of Active Support. The aim was to explore differences in organisational leadership and structures to identify potential relationships between these factors and the quality of Active Support in supported accommodation services. Method: Fourteen…

Background: Multiple disabilities represent separate entities that cannot be reduced to the sum of disabilities or the main disability. This study compared the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children and adolescents with multiple disabilities and those with one developmental disability. We further assessed how comorbidities and…

Background: Parents of children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) have extensive care duties. This study describes the phenomenon "parenting a child with PIMD." Method: We conducted in-depth interviews with 25 Dutch parents. A reflective lifeworld research was used. Findings: The essential meaning of the…

Background: As part of an international, multicentre project, the service and support needs of Australian family carers were investigated. Method: A sample of 1,390, 448 family carers completed a self-report survey, including an adaptation of the Family Needs Survey (FNS) and several open-ended questions. A mixed method design was used, employing…

Background: Autistic adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) seem to be particularly vulnerable to potentially traumatic experiences and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Furthermore, this population may be at risk for a different set of traumatic experiences than the general population. However, knowledge is sparse concerning PTSD symptom…

Background: Men with intellectual disability (ID) and sexually abusive behaviour are a disempowered and marginalised group. Nevertheless, as service users, they can be consulted and involved in a variety of different ways, including ascertaining their views of the services they receive. Method: A group of 16 men with ID and sexually abusive…

Background: Access to both childcare and early intervention for pre-school children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be difficult for parents or carers and may impact on parental social inclusion and wellbeing. There is limited research investigating how specialist centres offering both services may impact on parental outcomes. Method:…