Over the last 25 years, people with learning disabilities have made significant progress towards living independent lives in their communities.  Today, the majority of people with learning disabilities live in mainstream housing and aspire to lead full and active lives in a place of their choosing.

This is in stark contrast to the past when the policy of institutionalisation marginalised people with learning disabilities, isolated them from wider society and made them vulnerable to abuse.  Lennox Castle Hospital, where almost 1700 people with learning disabilities lived, was one of many such institutions across Scotland.

However, we know that some people with learning disabilities remain in institutional settings – often ‘delayed discharge’ in hospital or in inappropriate out-of-area placements.  Many more people with learning disabilities face barriers to accessing suitable housing and are denied choice and control about where they live, who they live with and the support they need to live independently.

Housing Support can enable people with learning disabilities to live independent lives at home.  It supports people to maintain and develop their life skills and social networks in a variety of ways, while providing support that is responsive to people’s needs and contributes to their health and wellbeing.

Housing Support can range from light touch to more intensive support, and comes in a variety of forms – whether it’s services that are provided in people with learning disabilities’ own homes, in temporary, self-contained, or shared living environments. It can also be provided together with accommodation, for example in supported housing.

Last year, SCLD was part of a group of organisations that commissioned a report to identify the benefits of Housing Support services in Scotland. Amongst its recommendations was a need to increase the profile of Housing Support and to highlight to decision makers the positive impacts it makes to people’s lives.  The report also recommended further work to map Housing Support services and scope its costs and social value – and a second phase of research is underway.

At a time when funding constraints are placing services under increasing pressure, SCLD believes the value of Housing Support must be recognised as critical to current policy and legislative drivers across housing, health and social care.  These include the Coming Home agenda, the National Care Service Bill, the Housing Bill and the Housing to 2040 strategy which all present opportunities to deliver effective housing options and solutions for people with learning disabilities. 

Moving forward, SCLD sees Housing Support as crucial to ensuring people will learning disabilities – including people with learning disabilities with complex needs, who may be ‘delayed discharge’ and in out-of-area placements, can live well in their communities and realise their right to independent living.

Blog author: Lorne Berkley, SCLDStrategic Lead: Policy and Rights