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What is good personal assistance made of? Results of a European survey

MLADENOV, Teodor
2019

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This article presents the results of a survey on personal assistance (PA) for disabled people, conducted among PA users and members of the independent living movement in Europe. The survey was developed and implemented in the spirit of emancipatory disability research, and was informed by the social model of disability and the independent living philosophy. Participants were asked to assess a series of characteristics of PA in terms of their impact on users’ choice and control. Their responses help identify which characteristics of PA are considered to be enablers of choice and control, which characteristics are perceived as barriers and which characteristics elicit disagreement or lack of consensus among PA users and members of the independent living movement in Europe. Plans for using the results of the survey to develop a tool for evaluating PA schemes are also discussed.

Compliance with standards of practice for health-related rehabilitation in low and middle-income settings: development and implementation of a novel scoring method

PRYOR, Wesley
NEWAR, Pushpak
RETIS, Chiara
URSEAU, Isabelle
April 2018

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Purpose: To (A) develop a method for measuring compliance with standards, and (B) implementation of the method in 12 rehabilitation centers in six low and middle-income countries (LMICs).

 

Methods: In part A, existing standards were compiled and operationalized into scores, organized into 5 ‘scorecards’ and 15 ‘sub-scorecards’, then tested and refined in an iterative process. In part B, 12 rehabilitation centers in 6 countries implemented the standards using the new method, revealing relative performance between centers, and across different standards. Internal consistency of scores within domains was computed using Chronbach’s alpha.

 

Results: A standardized method for scoring compliance with standards for rehabilitation was developed. The method evaluated compliance with standards in five domains of practice: user focused approach, service outputs, finances, staff, and general management. Multiple standards within domains were strongly related, with Chronbach’s alpha >0.80 for all but the equipment and supplies domain. Overall, in the 12 rehabilitation centers examined, 36% of standards were met or exceeded. Compliance within each scoring domain was 56% (user-focused approach), 38% (service outputs), 27% (financial management), 30% (staff management), and 33% (general management). Two out of 12 (17%) of centers met more than two-thirds of the standards, 3 (25%) met more than one-third of standards, while the remaining 7 (58%) met less than one-third of standards.

 

Conclusions: A new, standardized method for measuring performance of rehabilitation services in LMICs was developed. The method examines standards in five rehabilitation practice domains, and can be used to understand barriers to quality performance, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Implementation of the method demonstrated that current compliance with standards is modest. Ongoing interest in new standards for rehabilitation practice should be accompanied by measures to ensure they are used to strengthen quality in an emerging rehabilitation sector.

Able to include

INCLUSION EUROPE
February 2017

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"The ABLE TO INCLUDE solution improves the quality of life of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (IDD) and similar conditions such as people affected by dementia or any kind of cognitive impairment. To achieve this, the project integrates a set of already-developed technologies to create a context-aware accessibility layer that, by being integrated with existing and future ICT tools, can improve the day-to-day life of people with IDD by understanding their surroundings and helping them to interact with the information society. The project focuses on the most important areas that a person needs to live independently and find fulfilment as an individual: to socialize in the context of the web 2.0, to travel independently and be able to work.

Three key technologies are used as a framework to develop everyday tasks:

Text and content simplifier
A pictogram-to-text, text-to-pictogram and pictogram-pictogram translation tool
Text-to-speech functionalities

These technologies are utilised to create an accessibility layer for people with IDD in everyday tasks within the framework of the information society. The accessibility layer is accessed through an open and free API that foster the introduction of an assistive technologies layer for people with IDD in any software development."

Best Practice Guides for professional supporting autistic students in Higher education. Guide 1: Best practice for HEI managers and senior academics

FABRI, Marc
ANDREWS, Penny
PUKKI, Heta
March 2016

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This guide is for managers and senior academics at universities and higher education institutions, to provide with information and evidence to help develop policies and practices that will benefit autistic students and improve the student experience. It was developed from work in five European countries. It is one of three guides to help higher education professionals support autistic students.

Best Practice Guides for professionals supporting autistic students in Higher Education. Guide 3: For professionals supporting autistic students within or outside HE Institutions

FABRI, Marc
ANDREWS, Penny
PUKI, Heta
March 2016

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This guide is for specialists directly supporting autistic students. This may be as part of a disability support team within a Higher Education Institution (HEI), or for an independent organisation that provides services to HE. Insights from research and from good practice across Europe are shared to help improve student experiences and engagement with information and services, and to develop expertise.

Human development report 2013|The rise of the south : human progress in a diverse world

MALIK, Khalid
et al
2013

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This report "examines the profound shift in global dynamics driven by the fast-rising new powers of the developing world and its long-term implications for human development....The report identifies four specific areas of focus for sustaining development momentum: enhancing equity, including on the gender dimension; enabling greater voice and participation of citizens, including youth; confronting environmental pressures; and managing demographic change

Mapping exclusion

KOZMA, Agnes
PETRI, Gabor
November 2012

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This is a comprehensive report on the state of deinstitutionalization from institution-based services towards community-based services in the mental health field in Europe. The report consists of a comparative analysis of trends and policy changes in Europe based on a survey, and 32 country reports are presented in the annex covering issues crucial in the context of community care, such as data about institutional and community-based services, national mental health and deinstitutionalization strategies, information on guardianship and involuntary admission policies
Note: The report is in English, summaries are available in Dutch, French, Hungarian, Polish, Spanish, Romanian and Swedish

The right to political participation of persons with mental health problems and persons with intellectual disabilities

EUROPEAN UNION AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS (FRA)
November 2010

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This report provides the first results from a legal study carried out by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in the context of its project on the "Fundamental rights of persons with intellectual disabilities and persons with mental health problems." It begins with an analysis of the key international and European principles relating to the right to political participation. The situation in EU Member States is summarised and compared in Section 2. The report then presents the legal situation in the EU Member States and concludes with some possible ways forward
Note: This report is also available in easy read format

Violence against women with a disability

PERSEPHONE NPO
2008

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This report highlights violence against women with a disability in various contexts. It outlines the problems that women with disabilities are faced with in legal frameworks and accessing support. This resource aims to highlight the issues so solutions can be found. It also provides a summary of what has already been realized in terms of research, prevention and specific assistance. This document is useful for people interested in violence against women with disabilities

Convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and optional protocol

AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON A COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION ON PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF THE RIGHTS AND DIGNITY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
December 2006

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The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities acknowledges their rights to education, health, work and more. It provides a platform for action and activitism on inclusion and equity in countries which ratify and strive to implement it

The UN study on violence against children

PINHEIRO, Paulo Sérgio
August 2006

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This study provides an understanding of the nature, extent, causes, and consequences of different forms of violence against children (physical, psychological, and sexual), taking into account five main settings in which violence takes place - the family, schools, care and residential institutions as well as detention facilities and prisons, in work situations, and in communities and on the streets. A range of cross cutting issues are featured including trafficking and exploitation, refugees, separated and internally displaced children, and children affected by HIV

Situation of disabled people in the enlarged European Union : the European Action Plan 2006-2007

Commission of the European Communities
November 2005

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This action plan follows the European Union Disability Strategy of 2005. It relates specifically to mainstreaming disability in policy formulation and is intended to ensure a coherent follow-up to the European Year of Disabled People. The paper recognises that disability policy is most effectively dealt with at national level but aims to provide a dynamic framework to develop a broader EU Disability Strategy. It includes important information and data on the employment situation of people with disabilities, as well as laying down guidelines for developing accessible goods, services and inclusive policies. This paper would be useful to anyone with an interest in mainstreaming disability in development cooperation, in particular policy-makers, NGOs and disabled people's organisations

Convention on the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction

INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO BAN LANDMINES (ICBL)
1997

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This convention is addressed to State parties outlining the prohibition of the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of anti-personnel mines and on their destruction. It outlines 22 articles on obligations, international cooperation and ground rules in which States Parties are bound to comply. It states victim assistance duties for care and rehabilitation and stresses the role of public conscience for the ban of anti-personnel mines

Dutch coalition for disability and development

DUTCH COALITION FOR DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT

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The aim of this website is to provide information to support individuals and organisations working for the inclusion and social participation of disabled people, promoting a solidarity and human rights agenda

End exclusion

LIGHT FOR THE WORLD
ERKO - HKSD
DUTCH COALITION ON DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT (DCDD)

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This website features information about the global End exclusion project that highlights the potential of persons with disabilities and aims to ensure that their human rights are respected. It especially focuses the inclusion of persons with disabilities in programmes designed to reduce poverty. Information about the project is provided as well as related news, resources and details about how to join the campaign

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