We often talk about the importance of self-advocacy.
In one of our previous blogs we shared evidence that self-advocacy improves people’s lives.
Yet, not everybody know how to advocate for themselves. People might be also scared to do so.
Self-advocacy should be taught at school. But many students with intellectual disabilities do not learn how to advocate for themselves at school.
And the situation is not better for adults with intellectual disabilities. In this blog we want to focus on people with intellectual disabilities living in group homes.
Julie’s reflection:
- I attend country music every Tuesday night.
- My role was a Master of Ceremony.
- A group of people living in a group home often came.
- They had a dinner, sang, and left without listening to other singers
- One client asked for support from me to help him to stay longer.
- I talked to staff members who supported them. But they said they all have to leave as their shift is changing soon.
- I contacted the group home a number of times and we will have not gotten anywhere.
- I officially complained at that group home.
- I also offered self-advocacy training for the people living in that group home.
- Nobody ever responded to me.
I am lucky as I am independent and arrive and leave as I want.
Iva’s reflection:
- I worked in a group home for seven years.
- I supported adult women with intellectural disabilities and autism.
- The staff there were very dedicated and supportive of the women.
- But there were limited opportunities for choice and decision making.
- Everybody had to get up and go to sleep at the same time.
- There were limited choices of activities.
- And there was limited privacy for the women living in the group home.
This is what the Royal Commission in Australia heard about group homes:
- Limited privacy of people living in group homes
- People being stopped from doing things they want
- People being tied to a chair
- Locked fridges and doors
- Giving people with intellectual disabilities medications to make them sleepy, tired or quiet
People in group home experienced:
- Been taken advantage of
- Not being helped as they should be
- Being treated badly
- Being hurt physically
This should not be happening.
We have disability laws in Australia and the UN Convention of Rights for people with Disabilities.
We are happy that things have changed and we have come a long way.
But there are still changes needed to support people with intellectual disabilities.
How can self-advocacy be brought to group homes?
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
I Loved this blog. It was very informative and it also shows how people with intellectual disabilities can be and are independent and do things for themselves for their day to day lives. Well done!
Thank your feedback, we truly appreciate it. And we agree – people with intellectual disabilities can be and are independent. We certainly want to get this message out, hoping that it will encourage and empower other people with intellectual disabilities.
Thank you for this blog, Iva and Julie. I agree with you, this is not acceptable. However, if I worked in a group home, I would want to know when my shifts start and end. I might have young children, or other people who need me at home. This makes it difficult to be flexible and respond to what people want to do spontaneously. It really is quite tricky to balance everyone’s rights in these situations. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try though
Dear Jan, we fully agree. It is difficult to balance the rights of all people involved. In this scenario, maybe times of the shifts could change on Tuesdays so that those who want to stay for the whole evening can. Or the people living in the group home might be empowered to use their NDIS package to enjoy a night of country music. In that way, they would have individual support when going out to the community (if needed), while not impacting on the staff shifts. Where there is a will, there is a way :-). Julie and Iva