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Across Europe, thousands of disabled people still spend their lives inappropriately and unjustifiably segregated from society. With a severe lack, or complete absence, of community-based services in many European countries, untold numbers of people with disabilities have no access to quality alternatives to institutional care[1].
To ensure that people can move into the community, and will no longer need to live in long-stay institutions, it is essential that governments, service providers and funding agencies commit to shifting the funding from long stay institutions to community-based services. They must focus on the development of quality community-based services that are available to everyone who needs them.
Being included in society is a human right. Comprehensive, quality community-based services must therefore be available and accessible to all people with disabilities, including people with complex dependency needs.
The European Coalition for Community Living calls on:
Relevant authorities, government agencies, political bodies, service providers and funding agencies:
- To actively develop quality, comprehensive community-based services that comply with the following basic quality standards:
- Location within a local community
- Opportunities to interact with other members of the local community
- Respect for each person's personal space, privacy and property
- Availability of the necessary personal support for each disabled person
- To stop financing or otherwise supporting the establishment of new long stay institutions for any group of disabled people[2];
- To stop new admissions to existing long stay institutions and provide quality community-based services instead of placing people in institutions.
Relevant organisations and members of the public:
- To support the right of all people with disabilities to live in the community as equal citizens;
- To support the development of quality, comprehensive community-based alternatives to institutional care.
[1] ECCL uses the following definition of the term "institution":
"An institution is any place in which people who have been labelled as having a disability are isolated, segregated and/or compelled to live together. An institution is also any place in which people do not have, or are not allowed to exercise control over their lives and their day-to-day decisions. An institution is not defined merely by its size."
[2] See ECCL's definition of an "institution".
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