The lecture describes a study centering on the level of importance given by therapists treating people with intellectual disabilities, to activity geared towards social inclusion.

2. Promoting Social Inclusion:
the perception of priorities
in activities provision
by support staff
Marco Lombardi, HoGent University & Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Brescia, italy
Claudia Claes, HoGent University & Gent University, Gent, Belgium
Luigi Croce, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Brescia, Italy
Stijn Vandevelde, Gent University, Gent, Belgium

3. Introduction
Social Inclusion is a desired outcome for people with
Intellectual Disabilities and nowadays many organizations and service
providers have in their Mission the promotion of Social Inclusion for the
People they serve.
Yet, research showed that it might be insufficient unless service managers
are also committed in exercising their leadership to inculcate new ways of
working (Clement & Bigby 2007).
Often, supporting organizations are promoting activities that have a low
congruence with the assessment data collected on Clients and
consequently on Personal Outcomes (Claes et al., 2012).

4. Aim
The aim of this study was to investigate whether the Mission of the
organization found a relevant correspondence in the perception of the
priority of supports, provided by staff, related to Social Inclusion and
Taking Care of the person.

5. Method: Sample
3 2
1
4
1
2
1
2
3 1
2
3
3
1
1
2
2
10
1
2
1
2
32323
7
5
8
11
10
8 1
Partecipants
CAGLIARI
CENTO
MANTOVA
MASSA CARRARA
NORD MILANO
OSTIA
PALAZZOLO
PATTI
PESCARA
PORDENONE
PRATO
RAGUSA
ROMA
ALTAMURA
BOLOGNA INTEGRAZIONE
GENOVA INTEGRAZIONE
LA TORRE
BRESCIA FOBAP
FONDAZIONE PIATTI
FONDAZIONE SALERNO
PUNTO DI INCONTRO
TRENTINO
Cremona Dolce
Mantova Dolce
cinisello dolce
trescore dolce
cremona SFA
Cremona CDD
Cremona CDD2
Cremona LAE
Pontevico Il gabbiano
Cremona Agropolis
Cremona ANFFAS
OASI Quinzano
113 Support-workers belonging to 35 different services devoted to
serve people with ID, from all around Italy, were interviewed with an
anonymous self-report based on 2010, McConkey & Collins work
(McConkey and Collins 2010).

6. Method: instrument
The McConkey & Collins questionnaire measures the priority
perception regarding two different kind of tasks:
• Taking Care
• Social Inclusion.
It is composed of 32 items, divided in two subscales. Each item
(working task) had to be rated as 1 (Low Priority), 2 (Medium Priority),
3 (High Priority) or NA (Not Applicable).
A comparison was made between the ratings given by staff to the
activities in the two areas of support.

7. Method
T
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i
n
s
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u
m
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n
t

8. Method
T
h
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9. Results: Mission
Organization Commitement
7.3
100
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Taking Care Social Inclusion
Percentage of Missions’ Area of interest
.
Areas
% of organization with
a mission classified in
this area
Social Inclusion 100
Taking Care 7,3

10. Results: McConkey and Collins questionnaire
73.91
30.43
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Mediana
Percentage of Priority on working tasks
Taking care Social Inclusion
Tasks Median
Standard
deviation
Taking Care 73,91 17,78
Social Inclusion 30,43 14,54
Sig. diff. Wilcoxon (Z = 7,02 p<.001)

11. Results
4.19
8.85
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Median
Percentage of working tasks rated as Not Appliable
Taking Care Social Inclusion
Task Median
Standard
deviation
Taking Care 4,19 19,14
Social Inclusion 8,85 17,25
Not Sig. diff.

12. Results
12
2
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
N°
Number of tasks rated as High Priority by >50% of Staff
Taking Care Social Inclusion
Task N°
Taking Care 12
Social Inclusion 2
Sig. diff. Wilcoxon (Z = 3,47 p<.001)

13. Results
1
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
N°
Number of tasks rate as Not Appliable by > 50% of Staff
Taking Care Social Inclusion
Task N°
Taking Care 0
Social Inclusion 1
Not Sig. diff.

14. Results
Despite almost every organization has in its own Mission the promotion
of Social Inclusion, the priority of the tasks, perceived by the operators
was significantly preponderant to Care tasks.
Even the non applicability of task was preponderant on Social Inclusion
then on Taking Care (but not statistically sig.).

15. Conclusions• Utility
This study investigated a possible way to deliver services oriented to produce Social Inclusion outcomes
focusing on the perception of the role of the support worker. A different perception of the staff regarding the
provision of activities could promote the achievement of Inclusive and Quality of Life Outcomes.
• Robustness
The study was conducted on a sample of services collected around Italy. The number and location of
participants could be implemented in future having a more comprehensive vision of the panorama, considering
the different modalities of service provision for the People with ID that each Italian region has.
• Understanding
The scenario could be explained by a operators’ lack of a shared knowledge regarding the importance of Social
Inclusion Outcomes and by the lack of alignment of Support Activities provided by the support staff and the
Mission defined by the organization. Consequently the mission didn’t find an application in the activities that
were provided or at list in the perception of the support staff.
• Relevance
The data collected in this study, first one collected on an Italian population, drives the reflection on two core
aspects. First of all, the need of sensitization regarding Social Inclusion Outcomes for People with ID in the
Support Staff. Consequently, an Organization, as Support Provider, should restructure the support process
linking its support activities to the mission of the organization.

16. References
• Claes, C., Van Hove, G., Vandevelde, S., van Loon, J., & Schalock, R. (2012).
The influence of supports strategies, environmental factors, and client
characteristics on quality of life-related personal outcomes. Res Dev Disabil,
33(1), 96-103. doi: 10.1016/j.ridd.2011.08.024
• Clement T. & Bigby C. (2007) Making Life Good in the Community:The
Importance of Practice Leadership and the Role of the House Supervisor.
Victorian Government, Department of Human Services, Melbourne,Vic..
• McConkey, R., & Collins, S. (2010). The role of support staff in promoting
the social inclusion of persons with an intellectual disability. J Intellect
Disabil Res, 54(8), 691-700. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01295.x

17. Greetings from Brescia!
Marco Lombardi
Catholic University, Brescia, Lecturer
EQUAL, HoGent University, Researcher
marco.lombardi@hogent.be