Being in control: Choice and control of support received in supported living. A study based on the narratives of people with intellectual disability and support staff

Abstract

This research aims to study the role of people with intellectual disability in taking decisions regarding the support provided under the supported living model.

Method: Interviews were conducted with 13 people with intellectual disability, and six support professionals with experience working in organisations offering personalised support. These covered the person’s pathway, the support received, and their role in controlling this. Interviews were recorded and transcribed, and the data analysed through thematic content analysis in two consecutive phases, one descriptive and one interpretative.

Results: While supported living aims to provide personalised solutions to individual needs, support is conditioned to a greater or lesser extent by the assessment professionals make regarding the autonomy of the person with intellectual disability.

Conclusions: In order for individuals to make advances in their choice of, and control over, support received, people with intellectual disability must be empowered, and professional practices adapted through training