Pastoral Relationship with People with Intellectual ... - Theses

115Today, whatever the motivation, institutions can point to the rise in thenumber of people with disability living in a growing number of communityaccommodation sites as evidence of institutional endorsement for a communityapproach to accommodation. Whilst it can well be argued that the relocation ofpeople with disability away from traditional, mass accommodation signifies atrend towards a more personal, socially normal style of living, various indicatorssignify that institutionalism is maintaining an entrenched role in contemporaryaccommodation plans for people with an intellectual disability.3.2.2 The Institutional RemnantWhile today there is physical evidence of accommodation for people withdisabilities geographically distanced from the institutional campus the reality isthat some people with disabilities, including those with intellectual disabilities,remain in relatively large-scale campus-style accommodation, and may do soindefinitely. For example, the Strathmont Centre, a home for people withintellectual disabilities, located in Adelaide’s northern suburbs, whilst indicatinga commitment to relevant community-based accommodation, nonetheless appearsto maintain a certain level of commitment to campus accommodation, with agovernment commitment to updating accommodation at the centre with villastyleresidences.A 2005 report by the State Government’s Public Works Committeeregarding the centre, Strathmont Centre Redevelopment and Community LivingProject, raised the spectre of ongoing institutionalisation as possibly the mostappropriate form of accommodation option for those residents with the mostsignificant levels of impairment. In expressing two particular concerns the reportstates,The Committee accepts that deinstitutionalization is thedesired outcome for most residents of the Strathmont Centre.However, evidence has been given that the current model ofcommunity living is not appropriate for a small number ofresidents with exceptional needs. The Committee is concernedthat the number of such residents will not be sufficient towarrant the continuation of a separate institution such asStrathmont Centre.The Committee is aware that a similar situation is likely toarise as other institutions dealing with disabled clients movetowards a community living model. Accordingly, the Committeerecommends to the Minister that consideration be given todetermining how many such clients will remain after the