Background: Assistive technology (AT) has been successfully used by researchers and practitioners to increase task completion and independence in work and home environments for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. While prior research has shown increased outcomes of incorporating AT into daily tasks, research has also…

Background: Professional support for people with intellectual disabilities is increasingly provided remotely. This study explores what support staff of the Dutch remote support service DigiContact experience as distinctive aspects of their job as a remote support professional. Method: Semi-structured interviews were held with 10 DigiContact…

Background: Scant attention has been paid to the quality of working life of social care workers in Ireland. This study sought to characterise both the quality of working life and the well-being of social care workers in the disability sector. Method: A cross-sectional survey of social care workers (n = 307) was conducted. Measures of work-related…

Background: Social enterprises have the potential to address some of the current barriers that people with an intellectual disability experience in transitioning to open employment opportunities. However, it is unknown in detail how social enterprises are able to facilitate this transition, which limits ability to scale-up these organisational…

Background: Burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) are problems for the workforce supporting people with developmental disabilities. This study investigated hope as a potential protective resource for burnout and STS among the developmental disability services workforce. Method: One hundred and fifty-two non-supervisor caseworkers from a…

Background: Paid employment represents a challenge for people with an intellectual disability and/or autism. This paper analyses the quality of jobs offered by the Engage to Change project and their relationship to the 'typicalness' of the employment offered. Method: Data on the quality of 384 paid jobs were collected, including hours worked and…

Background: In Austria, due to its history, only relatively little research on the topic of intellectual disabilities and dementia has been conducted to date. The present study thus aims to explore the challenges and tasks currently facing formal caregivers, together with assessing their wishes for further development. Methods: Ten semi-structured…

Background: There has been extensive research into adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), however, less consideration has been given to the prevalence and impact of ACEs for staff working with people with intellectual disabilities. Method: Participants were staff employed by agencies that care for people with intellectual disabilities. An online…

The current study examined how employment conditions (competitive employment, work center employment, unemployment) are associated with the quality of life (QoL) for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Using the Comprehensive Quality of Life Scale -- Intellectual/Cognitive Disability (5th Edition; ComQoL-I5; Cummins,…

Background: Social inclusion focussed on belonging is increasingly emphasised by disability advocates and policymakers, yet belonging often remains absent for adults labelled with intellectual disabilities. People labelled with intellectual disabilities often rely on service providers to support their belonging. Methods: In this critically…

Background: Increasing the societal participation of people with intellectual disabilities via competitive employment requires a full understanding of what this means to them. This paper aims to provide an in-depth examination of the lived experiences of people with intellectual disabilities in competitive employment. Method: Interviews were…

Background: The present study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the initial stage of the COVID-19 lockdown in the Netherlands. Method: Overall, eleven direct support staff were recruited from five intellectual disability services to participate in this descriptive qualitative study. They recorded 34 audio…

Background: The present authors examined changes made in disability service organizations supporting residents with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviours, because these changes may influence residents' support and subsequently their challenging behaviours. Method: In this multiple case study, the present authors collected and…

Background: Children and youth with autism spectrum disorder have significant, multi-system needs that require supports, such as the autism waiver (AW) service delivery model. This study aimed to identify and describe characteristics of the AW, define obstacles and strengths in the provision of adequate services and provide recommendations for…

Background: A paucity of information is available on direct care workers' (DCWs') experiences with loss when their clients (people with intellectual and developmental disabilities [I/DD]) die. This study explored DCWs' grief experiences, their coping methods and their needs for support. Methods: A thematic analysis approach was used to examine…