Families’ views on their relatives with intellectual disability moving from a long-stay psychiatric institution to a community-based intellectual disability service: an Irish context.

The pattern of residential services for people with intellectual disability in Ireland has seen many positive developments in recent years, with more places made available in residential homes within both community- and campus-based accommodation. This paper reports on the findings of a study which explored families’ views regarding the movement of people with intellectual disability from a long-stay psychiatric institution to campus-based accommodation within a local intellectual disability service. A Husserlian phenomenology was chosen, ethical approval was granted, eleven participants were interviewed and data transcribed. Through Colaizzi’s (1978) procedural framework for data analysis two key themes were identified. The positive transition resulting from the move and the enlightened thinking that has developed as a consequence of the move. Overall, the study indicates the importance of; care and care delivery from the family’s perspective, the interaction of staff with families and families knowing the staff.