When support enables people to make their own choices

Being able to make decisions about your own life is a fundamental right. However, many people with intellectual disabilities find it difficult to have a genuine say in the choices and decisions that affect their everyday lives.

This is the starting point for the Supported Decision-Making project. The project is a collaboration between UCN, Aalborg University, Jammerbugt Municipality, the Krobakken Foundation and the Købmandsgården Foundation, with funding from the VELUX FOUNDATION.

Together, researchers, people with intellectual disabilities and professionals are exploring how decision-making support can strengthen people’s ability to make their own choices.

Greater influence over their own lives

People with intellectual disabilities have the same right as everyone else to self-determination and influence over their own lives. However, experience from professional practice and existing research shows that many encounter barriers when making decisions, both in their everyday lives and when interacting with professional support systems.

The project is therefore developing and testing methods designed to make decision-making processes easier to understand and more accessible.

“When we work with supported decision-making, it is about creating the right conditions for people to make decisions themselves. This requires professional expertise, patience and the courage to rethink our practices together with the people we support,” explains Oline Pedersen, Head of Research and project manager.

Among other things, the project examines how people with intellectual disabilities, social educators, social workers and family members experience decisions concerning the lives and living conditions of people with intellectual disabilities.

Developed together with the people concerned

People with intellectual disabilities actively participate in developing, testing and improving new approaches to decision-making support. The aim is to create solutions that work in practice and support people’s own wishes and preferences. 

“We know that decision-making support works best when it is based on the individual’s own experiences, wishes and needs. The methods are therefore being developed in close collaboration with the people who will use them in their everyday lives,” says Oline Pedersen.

The experience gained from the project will help strengthen people’s participation both in everyday life and in care plan meetings and other situations in which important decisions are made.