Page 22 - CL winter 2023 for web

research

The things that make people feel they belong, and

adult siblings connect people to communities

How those who are responsible for their own support shape their to engage in their locality? Second,
lives and the role of adult brothers and sisters in inclusion are what are the experiences of: the
siblings offering support for local
addressed in recent studies, reviewed by Juliet Diener engagement; and people with
intellectual disabilities of being
supported by their brother or sister?
The use of a multiple dyad (two
individuals) case study
elonging can be an active Participants were clearly able to methodology and semistructured
process and the role of social identify spaces that encouraged or interviews enabled researchers to
Binclusion is often overlooked, discouraged belonging. Examples gather a wealth of data.
studies have found. included a local shop where staff Siblings shared their joys and
were friendly and feeling time difficulties of supporting local
Actively belonging pressure on a bus from drivers engagement, with the authors
Kaley A, Donnelly JP, Donnelly L, and passengers. noting that “levels of involvement
Humphrey S, Reilly S, Macpherson This project explored belonging with their brother/sister with
H, Hall E, Power A. Researching as an interactive state where a intellectual disability varied
belonging with people with learning person and their allies are active, considerably, influenced in part by
disabilities: self-building active not passive, in creating emotional bonds”.
community lives in the context of “meaningful engagement and
personalisation. British Journal of reciprocal relationships within
Learning Disabilities. 11 June 2021. local neighbourhoods or networks
 https://doi.org/10.1111/bld.12394 between people with and Participants were clearly
without disabilities”. able to identify spaces
his study explored how A key finding was the importance
learning-disabled people are of feeling welcome in everyday that encouraged or
Tbuilding lives that support spaces at all times, making friends, discouraged belonging.
them to feel they belong in being part of regular social
the community. networks, and being informed of
The authors designed a what was happening in their
qualitative project with input from community and support available.
local people (such as neighbours This research gives insights into For the adult with the learning
and shopkeepers), support bodies, making day-to-day living disability, sibling engagement
local authority representatives and accessible and community focused. offered “emotional and practical
learning-disabled people. support in their lives”. Many of the
Presented in an accessible Sisters and brothers non-disabled sisters and brothers
version, the study looked at how Boland G, Guerin S. Connecting supported their relative through
“people with learning disabilities locally: the role of adult siblings in their own networks.
and their allies are ‘self-building’ supporting the social inclusion in While experiences were diverse,
their daily lives when responsibility neighbourhoods of adults with siblings’ involvement is relatively
for daytime social care and support intellectual disability. British new to service providers; they are
is handed to them”. Journal of Learning Disabilities. 4 often left on the margins of the
Interviews, focus groups, July 2021.  https://doi. systems supporting their relative.
observing activities and photovoice org/10.1111/bld.12404 Final conclusions noted the value
(photography to guide interviews) of shared activities that are enjoyed
were used to examine how belonging his study explored the role of equally by both siblings and offered
was created and supported. adult siblings in connecting “the potential to lead to developing
While, with personal budgets, Ttheir learning disabled sister acquaintances outside family and
people are increasingly shaping or brother to life in the community. service provider circles”. n
day-to-day life, social care cuts Little research has examined this.
mean personalised care lacks The authors asked two questions.
funding and consistency in First, what role – if any – do
relationships. This impacts the non-disabled adult siblings play in
creation of meaningful belonging. supporting their brother or sister

22 Community Living winter 2023 vol 36 no 2