Page 20 - Community Living Magazine 32 - 2

home life
Who decides how best to live?

Commissioners appear to be wary of placing people in Camphill communities, notes andrew
Plant. He questions whether ideology is leading to one model of housing with support being
promoted above all others, and whether this restricts choice and is in people’s interests

he Camphill movement started in
aberdeen in 1940 and there are
Tnow 119 communities in 27
countries across the world.
Camphill communities in Scotland
support more than 600 people of all ages
with learning disabilities and other
support needs. About two thirds of these
live in one of the 11 communities, and the
others have day placements.
Each community shares a common
ethos of mutual support, celebration and
purposeful work activities. The emphasis
is on people sharing their lives together.
There is a mix of unsalaried vocational
workers who live in the community and
staff who come in to work on a salaried
basis. Most communities offer placements
for young volunteers from abroad, adding
to Camphill’s social diversity. Making hay at Camphill: communities like this can provide a sense of belonging and peer support
In 2017, Camphill Scotland,
commissioned a research report to that people with learning disabilities face in the national discourse and
explore how the Scottish Camphill today, such as good housing, social commissioning decisions.
communities are viewed by key inclusion, employment, healthy lifestyles, On the one hand group situations,
stakeholders. positive outcomes, feeling safe and feeling sometimes referred to as ‘congregate
The findings highlight the strengths of valued. care’, are regarded with some suspicion.
the communities from the point of view of So, despite these apparent successes They can be seen as institutional, there
family members (echoed by some what are the factors that might lead to have been alarming stories of neglect and
professionals) - the friendly lifestyle, a Camphill communities being less favoured abuse, and there is a presumption that
strong sense of community, and a safe by placing authorities? such placements are driven by a cost-
and secure environment. Other strengths cutting imperative.
were caring and well-trained staff and On the other hand, there is concern
volunteers, a good range of choice and “ People do not have that the aim to provide an independent
activities, and opportunities to learn skills. life in the community can sometimes lead
However, the report adds: ‘the similar needs and wishes, to social isolation and loneliness because
qualitative data suggests that local so the arguments should the local setting might not be as
authorities are not proactive in searching welcoming as was expected, and lack the
out information on Camphill communities not be for one type of necessary facilities and levels of support.
and it is likely to be parents/carers/family provision but a range In dismissing group living too easily, there
members who will prompt local authority ” is a danger of overlooking the value of peer
consideration.’ support found when people share their
If social workers and commissioning Some recent reports argue that the best lives, as the social theory of homophily –
teams are not aware of the communities way forward for people with learning people wanting to be with people similar
or are wary about supporting a placement disabilities is normalisation, inclusion and to themselves – suggests. It must also be
in one, then it seems reasonable to independent living in the community, remembered that the population of
explore this carefully and ask if it reflects a while others identify the need for more people with learning disabilities is not a
national policy that promotes one model shared tenancies and group living cohesive and homogenous group, all with
of housing and support over another. situations to prevent social isolation and similar needs and wishes. The argument
I have lived and worked in Camphill loneliness. therefore should not be in favour of one
communities for more than 37 years so type of provision over another, but for a
obviously I have a certain bias when it Conflicting fears and aspirations range and meaningful choice around
comes to objective evaluation of them. This is a false dichotomy between individual housing and support.
Nevertheless, my experience suggests ‘residential care’ and ‘living in the This dichotomy between group living
they go far in addressing the major issues community’ – a dichotomy reflected both settings and independent living is

20 Vol 32 No 2 | Winter 2018 Community Living www.cl-initiatives.co.uk