Background: People with intellectual/intellectual and physical disabilities frequently use day-service centres, an array of services that involve the provision of care and social activities during the daytime and offer homebound people with disabilities opportunities to live in their communities. While nurses working at day-service centres for…

UK social care policy has "traditionally" sought to minimise organisational and sector boundaries through cooperation and partnership. This discussion paper argues that there is a case for a social care system based openly on separation of powers to address the conflicts of interest that inevitably exist between the actors--notably local…

Background: In many countries, the goal of secondary education for students with intellectual disabilities is to transition to the labour market. However, research and reviews consistently show that employment rates are very low for graduates with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this article is to scrutinise the preparation for…

Background: There are a significant number of adults with a learning disability who live with and are cared for by their parents. There is a pressing need for interventions to support older parent carers with their role and to plan for a time when they can no longer continue caring. This article reports on the experiences of older parent carers…

Background: Intervention to increase self-determination of people with learning disabilities is a major issue for social care practices. This study examines relational needs of people with learning disabilities regarding self-determination in the context of the relationships they share with social care professionals. Method: We held focus group…

Background: Young people with learning disabilities are frequently underrepresented in research accounts. This study describes the experiences of young people moving from the care system. Methods: We scoped the English and Swedish literature for first-hand accounts and interviewed four young people with learning disabilities leaving the English…

Background: Internationally, it is known that there are gaps in cancer and screening awareness among women with intellectual disabilities. Little is known about this awareness among Irish women with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study was to explore this awareness among these women. Materials and Methods: The study design incorporated…

Background: In recent years, efforts have been made to improve the transition of pupils with intellectual disabilities to adult services and to offer a wider range of choices. However, there have been few longitudinal studies to monitor the services provided to young adults post-school. This case study in the Republic of Ireland identified the…

Advocacy can help service users both to understand their rights and choices and also to support them in resolving issues of great significance to their lives. We investigated some of the costs and outcomes of advocacy provided to parents with learning disabilities at risk of having their children taken into care. Through two workshops and a…

In 2007, "self-directed support" was introduced in adult social care in England to establish choice and control--in the assessment process itself and over service provision--for "all" service users. The personalisation agenda is underpinned by a range of ideologies, particularly a civil rights empowerment approach and…

People with an intellectual disability are living longer, and the numbers continue to rise. Ireland has and is seeing a dramatic change in the age pro?le of clients and the support services they require. While Ireland had speci?cally trained nurses in intellectual disability, they predominately work in residential settings. This can be seen as…

There are increasing numbers of parents with a learning disability living in the community although the exact numbers are unknown. Existing research suggests that this group of parents faces disadvantage and discrimination on a number of levels. This study reports on the findings of a small pilot study that examined the lived experience of five…

Although co-production of research with people who access support services is increasingly common, details about how people who access support services can take more of an assertive role in developing research proposals and method design remains sketchy. This article reflects on the development of a research project on adult protection practice in…

It is well established that people with Down's syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than other people and that onset of dementia is likely to occur earlier at an earlier age. The article reports on a specialist service for people with Down's syndrome and dementia. The service has offered dementia screening and assessment to people with…

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…