People with intellectual disability often experience challenges in their lives. These may be due to difficulties in social adaptation, but may also be related to a reality of disempowerment whereby they have little role in the decisions central to their lives or in the provision of health, educational and social services. This book argues for alternative and innovative approaches to leadership in intellectual disability service provision. It does this in the light of service scandals including Winterborne View (UK), Oswald D. Heck (USA), Aras Attracta (Ireland) and many others. This book also explores the failed leadership issues underpinning such debacles and then examines how the context for intellectual disability service provision has changed. The authors propose alternative models for service leadership that are contiguous with the changed landscape, emphasizing participatory models of leadership and ending with exemplary vignettes outlining situations where such innovative change is happening.

People with intellectual disability often experience challenges in their lives. These may be due to difficulties in social adaptation, but may also be related to a reality of disempowerment whereby they have little role in the decisions central to their lives or in the provision of health, educational and social services. This book argues for alternative and innovative approaches to leadership in intellectual disability service provision. It does this in the light of service scandals including Winterborne View (UK), Oswald D. Heck (USA), Aras Attracta (Ireland) and many others. This book also explores the failed leadership issues underpinning such debacles and then examines how the context for intellectual disability service provision has changed. The authors propose alternative models for service leadership that are contiguous with the changed landscape, emphasizing participatory models of leadership and ending with exemplary vignettes outlining situations where such innovative change is happening.

This textbook provides nurses, allied health and social care professionals with the background knowledge necessary to support individuals with intellectual disabilities and their families. It is a unique and viable resource which is particularly timely, as recent decades have seen a significant change in the demographics and associated care and support needs of this population. The textbook is laid into four sections to provide a logical structure for the content with chapters developing key topic areas relevant to the field.  The introductory section sets the overall context for the book and considers the importance of developing an understanding of intellectual disability as a core concept identifying philosophies and models of service that underpin health and social care across the lifespan. Communication as a basis for caring and the overall concept of person-centred caring in a multidisciplinary context is considered. The second section explores key concepts from birth to adulthood exploring the nature of intellectual disability, the child with intellectual disability and other related neurodevelopmental conditions. The third section explores adulthood to older age and considers specific health care needs, understanding behaviour and other fundamental concepts including mental health, ageing and palliative care. The fourth and final section explores the integration of health and social care addressing such issues as supporting and enabling families, education, employment, and sexuality and relationships.  Edited by experienced and widely respected professionals, this textbook is written by international practitioners, educators and researchers who all play critical roles in working with individuals with intellectual disability and their families.