Community Inclusion and people with learning disabilities in an age of austerity Artwork by Robin Meader (for more information or visit Community Inclusion and people with learning disabilities in an age of austerity June 2015 Policy Messages Circles of support have a long history of empowering people with learning disabilities ; The research suggests that, in a context of austerity, the potential of circles of support to enhance the community inclusion of people with learning disabilities is an untapped resource. More information should be made available to people with learning disabilities and their families/those closest to them about the purpose and availability of circles of support; Circles of support should be part of local authorities’ advocacy offer to people with learning disabilities ;

Community Inclusion and people with learning disabilities in an age of austerity Background The community inclusion of people with learning disabilities is under threat. Post-Winterbourne view, 3,000+ disabled people remain incarcerated in institutions away from their families and communities; Many more people with learning disabilities live in the community in supported living environments but experience little choice and control in the lives; Many people with learning disabilities are supported only by the people in their lives who are paid to be there; Community exclusion poses threats to the health and well-being of people with learning disabilities. Men with learning disabilities die, on average, thirteen years sooner than men in the general population and women with learning disabilities die twenty years sooner. One theme which emerged across the research was the power of circles of support to enable people to live and participate in their local communities; Many respondents reported that a circle of support had enabled them to become part of the community. Being a member of a community entails participation, a sense of belonging and promotes psychological health and well-being.

Evidence This research identifies contemporary experiences of people with learning disabilities drawing on a series of interviews and ethnographic encounters conducted in the North West of England, The evidence presented here is based on twenty-five ethnographic encounters/interviews which were conducted with participants from a variety of different social classes and ethnic backgrounds. People with circles of support had generally got information about how to set up a circle from other people with learning disabilities and/or family members; Circles of support spring up in clusters where one of the following, the local authority, local service providers and voluntary organisations have shown a commitment to rolling them out locally; Some circles of support are enabled by paid facilitators; Some people with learning disabilities are using their individual budget to pay a facilitator, others are accessing a facilitator for free through the local authority or local service provider Circles of support can promote community inclusion. learning disabilities in their transition to adult services; Circles help with issues of ‘succession planning’ for when family carers are no longer able to care for their loved ones; The research therefore demonstrated circles of support can work as a strong approach to enabling the community inclusion of disabled people.. Research Reference Big Society? Disabled people with learning disabilities and civil society. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Economic and Social Research Council. ES/K004883/1 (bigsocietydis.wordpress.com) Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities Circles of Support On-line at: org.uk/our-work/family-friends- community/circles-of-support/ Knapp M, Bauer A, Perkins M & Snell T (2010) PSSRU Discussion Paper 2772: Building community capacity: making an economic care London: LSE/PSSRU BBC 1 Panorama: Under Cover Care, Abuse Exposed, Reporter: Paul Kenyon, BBC Community Inclusion and people with learning disabilities in an age of austerity

Conclusion The current period of austerity in Britain appears to be raising the spectre of the re-institutionalisation of people with learning disabilities. In order to counter these forces, there is a need to focus on the community inclusion of people with learning disabilities. Circles of support offer ways to promote health and well-being through community connections and participation. The records of circle meetings provide evidence of how and why decisions affecting the person at the centre of the circle were made. Worryingly, despite the overwhelming support for circles of support demonstrated in this study, access to a circle is still dependent on where you live and who you know. Local authorities, health authorities and service providers can play a key role in supporting the co-produced advocacy of people with learning disabilities through the commissioning of services to develop circles of support in local communities. Enabling circles of support not only acknowledge the humanity of people with learning disabilities but enhances their human capacity through their participation and sense of belonging in our communities. Research References. Department of Health (DoH) (2012) Transforming care: A national response to Winterbourne View Hospital: Department of Health Review Final Report. London: Department of Health. Bubb, S. (2014) Winterbourne View – time for change On-line at: ult/files/STRICTLY%20EMBARGOE D%200001%2026%20Nov%20- %20Winterbourne%20View%20Tim e%20for%20Change.pdf Runswick-Cole, K. and Goodley, D. (2015) Disability and Austerity: ‘Cruel Optimism’ in Big Society, Canadian Journal of Disability Studies, 4 (2): CIPOLD Research Team (2013) Confidential Inquiry into the Premature Deaths of People with Learning Disabilities Online at: library/sites/cipold/migrated/docume nts/fullfinalreport.pdf Accessed on 27th January, 2015 Goodley, D. and Runswick-Cole, K. (2014) Becoming dis/human: Thinking about the human through disability, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, DOI: / Big Society? Disabled people with learning disabilities and civil society is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (Grant Ref: ES/K004883/1). It is a partnership project between four universities: Manchester Metropolitan University, The University of Sheffield, The University of Bristol and Northumbria University as well as civil society partners: Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities; Pathways Associates; Manchester Learning Disability Partnership; Mencap; SpeakUp Self-Advocacy and Pete Crane, Wendy Crane, Max Neill and Helen Smith, independent living advisors. We gratefully acknowledge the support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) for funding this research (Grant Ref: ES/K004883/1). The views expressed here are not necessarily those of the ESRC.