Designs for Living

First published in 1999, this volume explores how the principle of normalisation informs British learning disability services by instructing them to help service users acquire behaviours and characteristics which are as 'culturally normative as possible'. While many studies have attempted to assess the efficacy of this approach, their measurement criteria are usually based on levels of competence and participation - values themselves derived from the principle of normalisation. The case study in this volume compares services in London to services in Milan, Northern Italy,where the concept of deinstitutionalisation has been interpreted differently. Recommendations are made for increasing good practice in certain aspects of British provision. A key suggestion is that consistent, legislated training for support staff in British learning disability services might contribute towards ameliorating current difficulties described by much of the contemporary research.

1. Arriving at Normalisation: A Historical Perspective on Learning Disability Services, Legislation and Research. 2. Current Research Trends: What is 'Quality of Life'? 3. A Qualitative Approach: Research Design and Methodology. 4. Supporting People with Learning Disabilities: Tracing the Development of Service Principles in London and Milan. 5. Individual Planning in Learning Disability Services: Implementing Service Principles in London and Milan. 6. An Ordinary Life or Substituting for the Family?: A Case Study Exploring the Impact of Learning Disability Service Principles on Daily Practice in London and Milan. 7. Participant Observation: Daily Life in the Two Projects. 8. Training Staff in Britain: Approaches to Developing the Professional in Learning Disability Services. 9. The Training of Educatori (Support Staff) in Milan. 10. Normalisation for the Millennium: Towards Better Implementation in Learning Disability Services.