What alternative living arrangements are available in your country for people with disabilities apart from large residential settings? 

1. Focus Living;
   For people with a physical disability. He/she lives alone or with a partner (with or without a disability) in a small apartment. Persons who live here mostly live on their own, seldom with a partner. 15 different apartments form 1 ADL-cluster. There is an ADL assistent available, they can reach him 24 hours a day. De studio's and the service are part of a bigger whole. If the person would require also psycho-social support he needs to call upon another service provider like a centre for Mental health. 

2. Supported Living;
   The majority of people living in this kind of residential service live alone, some of them have a partner who lives with them, seldom there is somebody who has a partner and children. They live in a house of their choice. The person receives maximum a few hours support every week, this is a fixed support worker that comes by the house. There is attantion for all the different aspects of life. if necessary the support worker also joins the clinet in his contacts towards other service providers or bodies, like employers, hospital, municipality, police, shopping, transport... 

3. Home support;
   The person with a handicpa (adult or child) lives with his parent or family (house or residence of their own choice). The person concerned and the family get support from a support workers who comes to the house. The intensity of the visits and support depends on the needs and the wishes of the client and his family. There is an average of 15 house calls per client. If necessary the support worker also provides assistance to the family to contact other bodies or authorities like schools and employers... 

4. Sheltered living; 
   A number of persons with an intellectual disability, normally between 6 - 8 people, live in a house where there is 24 hours a day support available on request and a couple of hours a day a support worker is actually present in the house. De support is as well individually oriented as collective. The house is managed in consultation with all the residents. There is attantion for all the aspects of the lives of the client. Support for the contacts of client with other bodies or services is also available...

How is the support in these settings organised?

The support in all these settings is organised to aim at a life as independent as possible for the clients. The involvement of the support workers is very limited. The support is tailored to the client and based on his request. Only for the sheltered living project the support is compelled, but even is this case it is de-centrally organised.

Target Groups?

The nature of the disability and the level of support a person needs are important factors to decide on the right residential setting for a person with a disability in Flanders. In the 'Home Support' concept it depends also on the strenghts of the family and their resources. In all the above mentioned concepts there is only 24 hours support available in cases of emergencies.

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