Normalization Fifty Years Beyond—Current Trends in the Nordic Countries

Abstract

The authors discuss recent developments in services for people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the Nordic countries. They note that all of the countries saw important reforms during the 1990s, regarding both deinstitutionalization and decentralization. However, they posit that the litmus test of the reforms is not what happens during reform years, but after the reform energy decreases and political attention fades. Thus, developments after 2000 are of particular interest. The comparative analysis is based on research reviews in the five Nordic countries. The analysis observed a trend toward larger group homes and congregations, inequality across municipalities, marketization, and new public management, but also an increasing emphasis on consumer rights and the use of the personal assistance scheme in services for people with ID. The authors conclude that diverging trends coexist, with improvements going together with significant setbacks. They explore the trends from a political science perspective and, in particular, note how they relate to recent shifts in public management and changing drivers of change.

ICT and Intellectual Disability: A Survey of Organizational Support at the Municipal Level in Sweden

“…Social support is a legal entitlement, which makes the individual rights of a person with intellectual disability stronger in Sweden than elsewhere (Laragy ; Tössebro et al . ).…”

Movement on Shifting Sands: Deinstitutionalisation and People with Intellectual Disability in Australia, 1974–2014

“…In some instances, attempts for 'quick and dirty' institution closures and relocation of residents have only exacerbated resistance. At the same time, since deinstitutionalisation as a broad movement proved extremely slow, over several decades the initial energy of reform has waned due to fading public and political attention (Tøssebro et al, 2012).…”

Delaktig (även) på äldre dar : Åldrande och delaktighet bland personer med intellektuell funktionsnedsättning som bor i gruppbostad

“…Den formella kulturen sätter ramar för vad personalen ska göra och inte göra och påverkar i mer eller mindre utsträckning hur personalen utför sitt arbete. I Sverige kan antas att gruppbostadens formella kultur präglas av den delaktighetsideologi som tidigare beskrivits (Nirje, 1969;Tössebro et al, 2012) och som finns formulerad i lagar och förordningar som gäller gruppbostad (SFS 1993:387;Socialstyrelsen, 2003). Gruppbostadens personal är även bärare av en informell kultur.…”