Deinstitutionalisation and Later Developments in the Lives of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities

This open access book offers a comprehensive review of the deinstitutionalisation process in the Nordic countries and its long-term developments from 1960 to 2020. Challenging the popular idea of deinstitutionalisation as a “mission accomplished” in this region, it heralds discussion about how the relocation process has unfolded and what consequences it has had for people with intellectual disabilities in practice. It presents a compelling narrative of the history and the current status of services for people who moved out of institutions to live in the community and discusses to what extent the intentions have been achieved.

Retracing the conceptualisation of normalisation in the 1960s and the new wave of deinstitutionalisation in Norway and Sweden in the 1980s and 1990s, this collection discusses how dismantling of institutions came to the forefront of the political agenda. It scrutinises the drivers of change in policies and practices for persons with intellectual disabilities, exploring changing ideologies, political goals, and service developments in the context of more general policy developments in the Nordic region. Leading experts in the field unveil the complex dynamics between ideologies, policies, practices, and contexts to challenge and reconsider lessons learned in the past fifty years from the Nordic experience. A ‘must read’ for students and researchers interested in disability studies, intellectual disability, social policy, social work, special care nursing, rehabilitation, as well as professionals, policymakers and stakeholders.