Assistance and support

The CRPD sees support and assistance not as ends in themselves but as means to preserving dignity and enabling individual autonomy and social inclusion. Equal rights and participation are thus to be achieved, in part, through the provision of support services for people with disabilities and their families. Article 12 restores the capacity of decision-making to people with disabilities. Respecting individual wishes and preferences – whether through supported decision-making or otherwise—is a legal imperative (see Box 5.1). Articles 19 and 28 are concerned with “the right to live independently and be included in the community” with an “adequate standard of living and social protection”. Article 21 upholds rights to freedom of expression and opinion and access to information through sign language and other forms of communication. Evidence on the demand for and supply of support services and assistance is scarce, even in developed countries. This chapter presents evidence on the need and unmet need for support services, the barriers to formal provision, and what works in overcoming these barriers.