Life after day centres: peer learning among people with intellectual disabilities

Nind, Melanie, Coverdale, Andy and Croydon, Abigail (2021) Life after day centres: peer learning among people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 34 (5), 1265. (doi:10.1111/jar.12917).

Abstract

Background: research aimed to understand how people with intellectual disabilities were learning to navigate the new landscape of social care with declining day services. One specific aim was to explore how people were learning from each other in making the personalisation agenda work for them.

Method: ethnographic case studies were conducted in one rural and one urban area of England and of Scotland. Local advisory groups of people with intellectual disabilities and their allies helped with acces sand methods. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with43 people with intellectual disabilities; managers, staff and volunteers from 29 organizations were also interviewed. Researchers spent time with participants in their diverse settings. Data were analysed thematically and iteratively.

Results: people with intellectual disabilities were learning from immediate peers and wider networks, often supported by family and local schemes, and gaining skills and confidence in building lives in their communities. Peer learning ranged from ad hoc to structurally supported with some peer mentoring/support programmes in evidence and self-/advocacy groups playing a key role.

Conclusions: peer learning in life after day centres often requires supportive people, supportive structures and time to build sustained engagement with a network. There are many missed opportunities for learning.

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Contributors

Author: Melanie Nind

Author: Andy Coverdale

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