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Independent Living: Policy to Practice

This research explores the scope and aim of independent living policies and their implementation in Ireland. It examines the Irish experience in both challenging and favorable times, focusing on physical housing within the concept of independent living. The authors use a combination of methodology, including government engagement and consultation structures, to examine policy developments and document experiences. The research highlights the need for stronger legal rights, improved accessibility standards, proactive disability organizations, and the implementation of the National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities.

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Independent Living: Policy to Practice

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  1. Independent Living: Policy to Practice Lillian Buchanan Dr Joanne McCarthy

  2. Outline • Scope & aim of the research • Methodology • Irish public policy direction • Engagement with people and their organisations • Policy implementation nationally • Case study • Recommendations

  3. Scope & Aim • Physical housing focus within the independent living concept • Only part but a basis for building life • Portray implementation when no legal rights based framework • Examine Irish experience in hard times as well as easy times

  4. Methodology • Probe government engagement with people and their voluntary organisations • Authors involvement in consultation structures • Examine policy developments • Documentation • Listen to experience as reported in one example

  5. Policy direction • Government endorses the legitimate expectation of people to be able to live independently • E.g. Towards 2016, National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities • Range of support measures announced • But legal rights not a feature • E.g. UNCRPD not ratified

  6. Engagement • Evidence of government • listening to the diverse perspectives of people with disabilities, • involving them and their organisations in policy making, planning and implementation, and • following up to ensure good outcomes

  7. Policy to Practice • Are more people appropriately housed? • Is a person-centred approach used? • Pre and post austerity test of commitment

  8. Policy Pre Austerity • No strong focus on supporting people into mainstream communities • Capital funding for housing adaptations and for ‘special needs’ housing – but not significant share • Housing boom produced relatively few accessible units • Increase in PA hours provided but not monitored • Housing strategy for people with disabilities • Limited cross-agency working

  9. Implementation under Austerity • Major capital and revenue spending cuts • Housing Strategy completed October 2011 • More effort at joint implementation • Focus on community living by HSE • Austerity squeeze on community supports • Continued resistance to entitlement to live independently

  10. Pump House on Londonbridge Road, Dublin 4 Opened by DCC in May 2009 with 24 apartments, x of which were designed with and for their mobility-impaired tenants

  11. Local Experience • People with mobility impairments in Dublin City with housing need • Getting onto the social housing waiting list • Waiting on that list, especially given shrinking sources of social housing supply • Cold shoulder for many of those not already getting personal supports • But examples of effective joint working for solutions

  12. Some recommendations • Strategy statements and domestic legislation insufficient • Need operational back-up such as Strategy’s proposed local authority-based steering committees and development of stronger accessible housing standards • Need legal backup such as ratification of the UN Convention and Housing Act amendment to recognise right to independent living

  13. Recommendations cont’d • Need procedures that factor in disability from the outset, such as systematic process to generate more Pump House-type housing • Need proactive voluntary disability organisations to assist people through difficult application processes, to monitor housing policy implementation, and to advocate for better outcomes • Need to implement the National Housing Strategy for People with Disabilities

  14. Thank you • For a copy of the draft paper, please email: • lillianbuchanan@disability-federation.ie

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