Deinstitutionalisation

In a narrow sense, deinstitutionalisation is a process in which we strive to close total institutions and create support in the community. By providing a variety of services in the community, we enable users to receive individualized and personalized support that cannot be provided in institutions. It is a long-term and complex social process that involves planning the transformation, reducing capacity in institutions, and gradually closing these total institutions. It also involves the establishment of community services that would enable users to live independently in the community with all the necessary support.

However, deinstitutionalisation is not merely a process of closing institutions, but is based on changing society’s view of people with different labels, as well as restoring dignified and equal roles in the community. The process of deinstitutionalisation thus restores equality and respect to people receiving institutional care and enables them to live as independently as possible and to participate in the community in valued roles.

Living in one’s home environment should not be a privilege, but a right for every person. This is stated in Article 19 of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which stipulates that people with disabilities must have the opportunity to live in the community and have access to home-based services. Numerous other international documents also state that living in institutions is inhumane. Nevertheless, some people are denied this right. In Slovenia, over 20,000 people live in institutions, and in the European Union, the number is almost 1.2 million. Once the process of deinstitutionalization is complete, the door to equal rights will be open. We want to open this door together with all stakeholders and the general public.

More information about deinstitutionalisation can be found at the following website IRSSV DI.