Paths towards independent living and social inclusion in Europe for people with a disability - Background paper

Long-stay residential institutions are a crucial element in the support network for people with significant care needs. However, institutionalisation can also result in isolation, lack of independence and social exclusion. Deinstitutionalisation, on the other hand, promotes the opposite, enabling people to live in and contribute to their communities. While there is a wide range of policies – at both EU and Member State level – supporting independent living for those with disabilities, progress has been uneven and, even when it has been achieved, myriad associated risks remain that need to be identified and mitigated.