Shifts in the model of service delivery in intellectual disability in Victoria

A fundamental restructuring of welfare states has occurred in the last decade and, in common with other fields of health and welfare, intellectual disability services have evolved from a largely institutional character to a diverse range of housing and community provision and individually tailored approaches to service delivery. Aspects of the shift towards marketisation which emphasise individualism and the power of the consumer and de-emphasise membership of categorical groups, are reflected in the values and principles that now drive intellectual disability policy and have to some extent been embraced by stakeholders in the field. However, these shifts have also led to tensions and pose inherent contradictions that may obstruct the realisation of policy objectives. Using a framework derived from Baldock and Evers, this paper explores some of the recent policy shifts in the field of intellectual disability, examines the dilemmas they pose and the major questions to be addressed in this field at the beginning of the 21st Century.