Braddock, D., Emerson, E., Felce, D., & Stancliffe, R.,

2001,

Reviewed by Eric Emerson,
Professor of Clinical Psychology,
Institute for Health Research, Lancaster University

Methodology

Review extracting and summarising national monitoring data on supported accommodation services for people with learning disabilities in the USA , Canada , England , Wales and Australia .

Critical Appraisal

No discussion of quality of data sources or their comparability across the countries included.  No clear rationale for the inclusion of these specific countries.

Key Findings

Availability of supported accommodation varies between 100 ( Australia ) and 150 ( USA ) places per 100,000 of the total population. Regional variation in the volume of provision is even greater. The authors state that 'in no case is the national availability considered adequate to meet the demand arsing from changing need or expectation'.

Across all countries there has been a general move away from institutional provision to providing supported accommodation in small domestic-style settings. England / Wales data also:

• includes estimated age-specific administrative prevalence rates for learning disabilities;
• suggests that the volume of supported accommodation services has remained static over the past 30 years;
• and that this level of provision needs to be increased by 20,000-25,000 places.

Social Work Practice/ Policy Implications

Draws attention to the inadequacy and local/ regional variability in the availability of supported accommodation for people with learning disabilities in England and Wales and the extent to which the majority of adults with learning disabilities continue to be supported by their parents. Highlights the need for local Partnership Boards to:

• work together with Housing Authorities to extend the availability of supported accommodation for people with learning disabilities (see also Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Department of Health. 2003, forthcoming. Housing and Support Options for People with Learning Disabilities . London : ODPM and DoH);
• recognise and support the key role played by families in providing accommodation for adults with learning disabilities;
• plan actively to ensure that people supported by elderly parents move into supported accommodation in a timely and orderly fashion (see also Mencap. 2002. The Housing Time Bomb . London : Mencap).