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Background: Social media is a growing phenomenon, yet people with intellectual disability (ID) may not experience comparable access to this communication technology. Adolescents with ID may benefit from e-inclusion, especially as individuals with ID are at risk of having smaller social networks. Materials and Methods: The Social Network Guide was adapted to measure social media usage and used to examine the interpersonal relationships of adolescents with and without ID. Results: Adolescents with ID held smaller social networks with less developed informal relationships. However, friendship quality was comparable or superior to typically developing peers. Adolescents with ID interacted with a smaller percentage of contacts using social media. Social media use was predictive of the number of reported friendships and did not significantly predict critical comments. Conclusions: Findings suggest that adolescents with ID have comparable access to social media but use these sites to interact with a smaller number of social contacts.

Background: Researchers contend that religious and spiritual communities may provide a conduit to friendship for people with IDD. This research explored the interface between social networks and spirituality for individuals with IDD living in either a faith or non-faith based service. Method: A mixed-methods approach was used including semi-structured interviews, the Social Network Guide and the Spiritual Belief Inventory-15R with individuals with IDD (or staff members who provided their opinions of what individuals who lacked capacity to consent would say if they had capacity). These findings were corroborated with extensive field notes generated from participant observation. Results: The faith-based group had a higher network size (m = 78) compared to the non-faith based group (m = 44). Those with larger social networks also reported higher SBI-15R scores. Conclusion: Findings highlight the possible role of social, religious and spiritual activities for expanding individuals' social networks.

Background: This small, qualitative study sought to develop a richer understanding of the way in which the deprivation of liberty safeguards (DOLS) were being used for people with intellectual disabilities. It is important to note that this study was completed prior to the changes resulting from the P "v" Cheshire West and Chester Council judgement. Method: Six DOLS cases were identified and two people involved in each case were interviewed (care home managers, key workers, social workers, specialist nurses or psychologists), using semi-structured interviews. The data were analysed using grounded theory techniques. Results: The interviewees described DOLS as providing a framework leading to positive outcomes for the people they supported, in some cases avoiding inpatient stays. However, they had a number of concerns including lack of knowledge and training, potential under use of DOLS and disappointment with case law. Conclusion: Overall, these findings are encouraging in regard to the specific individuals for whom DOLS applications were made; however, they also highlight the need for a stronger agenda regarding wider dissemination of information, and training about DOLS, as well as some reform.

Research has consistently shown that young people with Asperger's Syndrome (AS) are likely to experience increased anxiety during new social situations; yet, studies have been regionally and culturally bound. The aim of this study was to explore how higher education students with AS experienced attending university in two European countries: the UK and Spain. The objective was to find out if experiences differed between the two countries in relation to contrasting support arrangements and what kinds of interventions might aid students' social well-being at university, an important learning outcome for future practice. This small-scale comparative exploratory study incorporated life-history interviews with nine students with AS. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four superordinate themes significant to both groups of students in Spain and the UK emerged from the data: social relationships, "special interests," "environment" and "support mechanisms." Students with AS need and want clear, unambiguous and structured information from academics; support to get to know others in "small special interest groups"; more designated "quiet zones" across campuses; and above all, a move away from ableist notions of AS. To our knowledge, this is the only Spanish-UK comparative study of university students with AS.

Background: The topic of funerals within the life cycle approach to care in the UK remains largely absent. This small exploratory study sought to investigate how practitioners deal with this sensitive issue and to capture the views of older people with and without intellectual disabilities about funerals. Methods: A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 40 service managers, and five focus groups for 26 people with and without intellectual disabilities were facilitated. Questionnaires were subjected to thematic content analysis; focus group data were analysed using a grounded theory approach. Results: Managers demonstrated confusion about organizing the funerals of people with intellectual disabilities. Few differences existed between the views of people with and without intellectual disabilities in relation to funerals and a number of core themes were identified including the lack of opportunities to attend funerals. Conclusions: More thought and practical interventions are needed to support vulnerable people to participate in the funerals of people they know.

Background: There have been major changes in the provision and organization of services for people with intellectual disabilities in England over the last 30 years, particularly deinstitutionalization and the development of the mixed economy of care. The experiences of the people who participated in the Care in the Community Demonstration Programme in the mid-1980s provide evidence of the immediate and longer-term effects of the reprovision policy. Methods: Cross-sectional and longitudinal evidence was gathered on service use and costs for over 250 people 12 years after they left long-stay hospitals for community living arrangements. Comparisons were made with the situation in hospital, and 1 and 5 years after leaving. Relationships between costs after 12 years and individual characteristics assessed before people left hospital were explored. Results: Community care at the 12-year follow-up remained more expensive than hospital-based support, although the average cost was lower than at either of the 1- or 5-year community follow-up points. Service users were living in a wide variety of accommodation settings. Management responsibility fell on National Health Service (NHS) trusts, local authorities, voluntary agencies, or to private organizations or individuals. After standardizing for users' skills and abilities, costs in minimum support accommodation were significantly lower than those in residential and nursing homes, costs in staffed group homes significantly higher, and costs in hostels slightly lower. When looking at differences between individuals, no relationship was found between costs and outcomes although, overall, people were better off in the community than they had been when in hospital. Conclusions: Reprovision planning for hospital and other institutional modes of care requires major and long-term commitment of resources. Quality of life improvements can be achieved at a cost little different in the long-run from that for hospital care. The link between needs and costs (reflecting the services intended to meet those needs) would be made stronger through the individualization of care.