Active Support is a proven model of care that enables and empowers people with intellectual disabilities to participate fully in all aspects of their lives. This evidence-based approach is particularly effective for working with people with more severe disabilities, and is of growing interest to those responsible for providing support and services. The authors provide a comprehensive overview of Active Support and how it can be used in practice, based on the theory and research underpinning the methods involved. They describe how to engage people with intellectual disabilities in meaningful activity as active participants, and look at the communication style needed to foster positive relationships between carers and the people they are supporting. Highlighting the main issues for those trying to put Active Support into practice, they explain what is needed on a day-to-day basis to support the implementation, improvement and maintenance of the approach, along with possible solutions for the difficulties they may encounter. Finally, they look at how to integrate Active Support with other person-centred approaches, drawing on examples from various organisations and individual case studies. The definitive text on Active Support, this book will be essential reading for anyone professionally concerned with the quality of life of people with intellectual disabilities, including psychologists, behaviour specialists, social workers, care managers, occupational therapists and inspectors and regulators of services, as well as families.

This excellent, informative and well presented, a book provides the reader with fourteen edited chapters covering an area of policy and practice that is quite specific but will inform anyone interested in the development of a service user participation ethos in adult social care. It is a book that is relevant to managers and practitioners, both as students and qualified professionals, as well as academics. Care management is now well established in the everyday practice of predominantly statutory organisations. This book revisits the principles of this method of assessing and planning the care needs of adult service users, and introduces Person Centred Planning (PCP) as a suitable method for ensuring that much of the empowerment rhetoric care management is actually realised.' - British Journal of Social Work 'Part of the attraction of this book is its strong practice component. This is applicable to the different professionals working with people with learning disabilities, in whatever their service configuration. For students, the book will also provide a good introduction to the impact of person centred planning and its connections to a long history of similar initiatives.' - Journal of Interprofessional Care 'This book is a stimulating and challenging read of those working in service development generally, as well as learning disability services. There is a potential broad care management readership that might also find this relevant and interesting.' - Journal of Interprofessional Care 'This is an important book. It brings together chapters by many of the foremost researchers and practitioners in person centred planning. The book contains many ideas for taking the PCP process to a higher level of sophistication to really underpin the future development of appropriate and effective services.' - Community Living 'This book will help social workers to reconnect with the core values of their profession and to challenge institutionalised policies and practices. It has proven to be a valuable teaching resource and whilst its focus is on people with learning disabilities, the principles of PCP that it raises are relevant to any service user group and social work arena. Highly recommended.' - Professional Social Work 'There are many important issues facing the care management system today in the light of person-centred planning and approaches, and you would be hard-pressed to find a better collection of insightful and radical thinkers in this area than those featured here. It asks hard questions, and challenges the professional to adopt more inclusive and accessible work practices. Wherever you work in the field of learning difficulties you should read this book carefully and aim to put "person-centeredness" at the core of your practice.' - Community Care 'You would be hard-pressed to find a better collection of insightful and radical thinkers in the area of care management. Wherever you work in the field of learning difficulties you should read this book carefully and seek to put "person centredness" at the core of your practice. The challenge for professionals, is making it a reality for individuals.' - Community Care This timely book provides a reflective analysis of person centred planning for people with learning disabilities, complementing policy initiatives that focus on individualised planning and service user involvement. Drawing on practical experience and research findings, the contributors explore policy and practice issues, including: * advocacy and empowerment * risk management and adult protection * inter-agency and inter-professional working * ethnicity and culture * de-institutionalisation. Vivid case studies illustrate best practice in person centred planning, and the authors offer a rich variety of ideas for increasing the participation, self-esteem and quality of life of people with learning disabilities. This practical and accessible text is an invaluable guide for policy makers, carers and social work managers, academics and students.

Group homes are the dominant form of residential accommodation for people with severe learning or intellectual disabilities, and yet there are significant problems within these living environments. This book seeks to highlight the key issues for both residents and staff, and offers practical suggestions for improving community living. Based on original empirical research and drawing on extensive field notes, the book paints a picture of life in group homes today. The authors propose a framework for increasing community presence and participation, and consider the barriers to be overcome if progress is to be made in achieving these key goals. The notion of 'homeliness', the challenge of maintaining a balance between individual and group needs and the concept of practice leadership are all explored. Group Homes for People with Intellectual Disabilities is essential reading for anyone working with people with learning or intellectual disabilities in residential services, as well as academics and students of disability studies, social work and health and social care programmes.