Inclusive mainstream services for people with intellectual disabilities: A relational approach

<p dir="ltr">Abstract:-</p><p dir="ltr">Background:</p><p dir="ltr">Despite growing recognition of their right for inclusion in society, people with intellectual disabilities are often excluded from mainstream services, or experience poor service outcomes.</p><p dir="ltr">Method:</p><p dir="ltr">Taking a relational approach that considers the interpersonal relations and interactions that occur in mainstream service settings in Australia, this paper examines the features of services that research participants considered more inclusive.</p><p dir="ltr">Results:</p><p dir="ltr">Relations between service users with and without intellectual disabilities, mainstream service staff and disability support workers in inclusive mainstream services were characterised by; respect; warm, welcoming and convivial interpersonal engagement; active listening; proactive assistance; flexibility; mediation to create a safe environment; and collaboration and shared responsibility by both mainstream staff and disability support workers in supporting a service user with intellectual disability.</p><p dir="ltr">Conclusions:</p><p dir="ltr">Building on these results, we put forward a set of principles for facilitating inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities in mainstream services.</p>