This document summarizes a presentation by Dr. Simon Duffy on maintaining a vision-driven system for supporting people with intellectual disabilities in western democratic countries. Duffy discusses several challenges, including resistance to change, funding still being locked into segregated services, and austerity cuts targeting disabled people. He argues that new strategies need to be more philosophical, personal, political, and peer-focused. Duffy also notes that the best social innovations develop through engagement with real problems and values, are inspired by powerful values of citizenship, and are shared through peer networks.

1. Maintaining Vision
The challenge of maintaining a vision driven system in
other western democratic countries.
Dr Simon Duffy ￭ The Centre for Welfare Reform
￭ 8th May 2013 ￭ NASDDDS Directors Forum, Oklahoma
City

3. Key variables include...
• Funding levels
• Local government
• Culture - S. vs N.
• Religion - Cath. vs. Protestant
• Party politics - 2 Party vs. Multi-party
• Disability politics and self-advocacy
• Service structures - Intellectual disability or not...
• Peak bodies
• Cold war - W vs. E
• Welfare state models...first impressions are not always reliable

4. Introductory remarks
North America has had a big influence on UK
thinking and on many other countries...
... and there is also a corresponding fear or
suspicion.
The problem of filtration (or editing out the
difficult bits)...
...and the problem of respecting our diversity
in order to sharing our learning

5. Self-Directed Support
Person Centred Planning
Personalisation
Personal
Budgets
Brokerage Individual
Budgets
Support
Plans
Essential Lifestyle Planning
Personalised Support
Supported
Living
Keys to Citizenship
Inclusion
Community
Connecting
Individual
Service Funds
Home
Ownership
Self-determination
Supported
Employment
MAPS
& PATH
Normalisatio
n
Social Role
Valorisation
Social Model of
Disability
Circles

8. Thoughts I want to share
Vision is not about what you want to see, but
being clear about what is really there.
The threats faced by people with intellectual
disabilities are not receding.
Current strategies are necessary, but have some
serious limitations.
New strategies need to be more philosophical,
personal, political and peer-focused

9. The Official Story
through rose tinted spectacles
through rose tinted spectacles
“We realised that institutions were wrong and so
we set about closing the institutions. At first people
were moved into group homes and into day
centres. But today people are increasingly able to
control their own support, have real homes, real
jobs and be in real relationships. We are entering
an era of disability rights, where where families
are properly supported and people with disabilities
are seen as full and active citizens .”

10. Disturbing facts that do not fit the official story
• Resistance is not futile - it is nearly 40 years since
Christmas in Purgatory - i.e. two generations
• Funding is still primarily locked in segregated
(community) services
• Eugenic practices are continuing or increasing:
genetic testing, pro- abortion, neo-natal deaths
• Rights often exist on paper - but they lack
substance
• Austerity has led to cuts that target disabled
people (although not in Spain, I hear)

12. We’ve been here before...

14. What can we learn from our best
achievements so far...

16. Social innovations develop...
• Through passionate engagement with real
problems and aspirations
• Inspired by powerful values - making
citizenship real
• Shared through peer networks
• Significant political implications, but
problematic engagement with forces of
power and commerce

18. Self-directed support...
• USA and Canada - early progress...
• England - radical policy shift, emerging problems
• Scotland - early innovation, recent policy shift
• Finland - early pilots, de-institutionalisation on-
going
• Australia - big new funding system - ‘Disability
Care’ - major structural change
• Europe - various early experiments

19. The way we make good things
happen (innovation) does not fit
well with our normal strategies
of implementation
and we don’t know how to be
effectively political

20. Primary forms of strategic action:
• Leaders - managing, guiding and controlling
• Money - funding, rewarding, constructing
• Experts - advising, informing and training
• Rules - laws, regulation and procedures
Important, but not central to the
development of social innovations...

22. Do we need to live our values more fully?

23. Is it time to think more deeply?
The Unmaking of Man
by Simon Duffy

24. Can we work together as peers?
• Human rights at heart of
system
• Minimum universal securities
as rights
• Fair and integrated tax-benefit
system
• Individual freedom for all
• Families and communities
respected

25. Is it possible to be more politically savvy?
• Human rights at heart of
system
• Minimum universal securities
as rights
• Fair and integrated tax-benefit
system
• Individual freedom for all
• Families and communities
respected

27. Can we redefine welfare reform?

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@simonjduffy
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