Abstract
Background: The social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) is fundamental to maintaining good mental health and presents a major challenge to services. As part of the Community Care: 12 Years On study, the size of 213 individuals’ social support networks were investigated.
Method: Individuals’ social support networks were mapped using a Social Network Guide and descriptive statistics generated.
Results: The average network size was 22 members (range 3 to 51). The mean density was 0.5. Only a third of members were unrelated to ID services. In general, the main providers of both emotional and practical support were staff, although these relationships were less likely to be described as reciprocal. Other people with ID were the second most frequent providers of all types of support. People in small group homes, hostels and supported accommodation were significantly more likely to report close and companionable relationships than those in residential and nursing homes, but they also reported a greater proportion of critical behaviour.
Conclusions: A clearer policy and practice focus on the desirability of a range of different social context from which to derive potentially supportive network members is required so that people do not remain segregated in one area of life.
Method: Individuals’ social support networks were mapped using a Social Network Guide and descriptive statistics generated.
Results: The average network size was 22 members (range 3 to 51). The mean density was 0.5. Only a third of members were unrelated to ID services. In general, the main providers of both emotional and practical support were staff, although these relationships were less likely to be described as reciprocal. Other people with ID were the second most frequent providers of all types of support. People in small group homes, hostels and supported accommodation were significantly more likely to report close and companionable relationships than those in residential and nursing homes, but they also reported a greater proportion of critical behaviour.
Conclusions: A clearer policy and practice focus on the desirability of a range of different social context from which to derive potentially supportive network members is required so that people do not remain segregated in one area of life.
| Original language | English |
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| Number of pages | 20 |
| Publication status | Published - 20 Jul 2006 |
| Event | Social Policy Association National Conference: The state of welfare, past, present and future - University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK United Kingdom Duration: 18 Jul 2006 → 20 Jul 2006 Conference number: 39 http://www.socialpolicy.com/conferences.aspz |
Conference
| Conference | Social Policy Association National Conference: The state of welfare, past, present and future |
|---|---|
| Country/Territory | UK United Kingdom |
| City | Birmingham |
| Period | 18/07/06 → 20/07/06 |
| Internet address |
Keywords
- social networks
- social exclusion
