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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to reflect on Vesala et al.'s (2014) findings on the occupational identity of staff and attitudes towards institutional closure. Design/methodology/approach – This commentary reviews some of the research around staffing, organisational hygiene and service management in countries that have already implemented deinstitutionalisation, and draws out some key considerations for countries and organisations that are planning the transition from institutions to community-based care. Findings – There is increasing evidence around approaches that are more likely to lead to positive service user and staff outcomes. Particularly person-centred active support and practice leadership have emerged as effective approaches in facilitating organisational change and high-quality services. Originality/value – Some of the experiences and practices in post-deinstitutionalisation countries around active support and practice leadership can provide valuable considerations for planning institutional closure programmes in countries currently implementing deinstitutionalisation.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on the previous paper in this issue “Changes in the provision of residential care for adults with an intellectual disability: a national longitudinal study”.Design/methodology/approachThe commentary outlines some of the challenges and potential drivers of deinstitutionalisation and community living including the United Nation's Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.FindingsThe paper finds that the UN Convention and the practice of international organisations that fund investments in social care can potentially drive the replacement of institutions with community‐based services for people with intellectual disabilities.Originality/valueThe argument for deinstitutionalisation and community living needs to be maintained more broadly rather than being focused on certain countries or regions. Community living for people with intellectual disabilities should be a global agenda with an emphasis on the human rights of people.