Independent Living
Independent living is one of the most significant aspects in supporting the inclusion of people with disabilities in the community, Art 19 of the CRPD recognises, among others, the right for people with disabilities to live in the community and to choose the place of residence.
Independent living has been defined in several ways, in terms of goals and the means to be used to achieve these goals. In general, it means people with disabilities should be able to decide where and how they live, with access to a range of services (including personal assistance) to support their life in the community.
By providing the opportunity of being in control of their own choices, independent living promotes self-determination, self-respect and dignity for people with disabilities. Therefore, independent living supports equal opportunities for people with disabilities, ensuring that they are in charge of important decision regarding their own lives- just as everybody else.
EPR supports its members in developing transitions arrangements to prepare people with disabilities for independent living.
Social care systems greatly differ from country to country and in most cases across different regions. This variety provides numerous opportunities to learn and improve current practices. By connecting different actors in diverse settings, the EPR network provides concrete opportunities to share expertise to continuously innovate services.
- Resources:
EPR Community Based and mainstreamed Services Brochure (2018)
Mainstreamed and community based services – Analytical Paper (2015)
Study on Mainstreamed Services_(2015)
