Institutionalisation is still with us - In our Residential & Nursing Homes and even Families.  Since the Ann Shearer and others first started their Campaign, in the early 1970's, we have seen a serious advance in Community Care. The concept began to take root when people with learning difficulties became 'organised' and though their Advocates, Friends and directly from themselves, they spoke up at National and Local Conferences. Local Authority representatives and media were astounded at the delegate's eloquence.
It was a time of challenge and for change. Many people with learning difficulties and Autism had been incarcerated in special hospitals for many years, often for very minor problems and 'moral' issues. Some were surprisingly outspoken. Others found their voice and through the process of Self Advocacy and Advocacy, their wishes were made known. They still need to be heard. (Click Here to read text below in a New Window)
Many of the difficulties that professional's and carers are calling 'Behavioural Problems' have been generated because of these rather ignorant practices and attitudes, incorporated into the more modern ways of thinking. This completely distorts the original concept of Community Care and appears to invalidate its benefits. People's Rights and Entitlements are once more restricted, often using 'clinical' justifications that are not fully understood, with poor appreciation of the 'social' causes. The person's intelligent challenge, generates the conflicts that professional's identify as 'a problem with the person'. Sometimes, in some measure, this may be true, but the problem is mostly with how we think and behave. Sometimes it is our thinking capability that is severely limited and our behaviour that is out of order. Don't get so cocky. Example of Ann's writing from 1974 - From an Open University Source book
MORE STORIES TO FOLLOW ON THIS SUBJECT. We may soon be seeing a real renaissance of 'De-Institutionalisation' and greater validation of the original principles of Community Care - the proper integration of people who have any form of disability into our community and cultural life. | 
