PRESS RELEASE: Brussels, 19 November 2012
On 20 November 2012, the European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care launches a set of key guidelines on how to make a sustained transition from institutional care to family-based and community-based alternatives for children, persons with disabilities, persons with mental health problems and older persons. The Common European Guidelines on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care and the Toolkit on the use of EU funding to support this process will be presented at the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels (JDE 63, 14:30 – 17:15).
The Common European Guidelines are based on European and international best practice and have been developed through a process of consultation involving organisations and individuals representing all the user groups and other stakeholders, including public and non-profit service providers and the authorities. They can be used by policy and decision makers at national, regional and local levels, as well as by EU institutions, to plan and implement the transformation of care and support services, and to facilitate the inclusion of children, persons with disabilities, persons with mental health problems and older persons in society.
The publications are available in English at www.deinstitutionalisationguide.eu. Translations into a number of other languages will be available by the end of the year.
Note to editors:
About the European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care
The European Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care, formerly known as the Ad Hoc Expert Group on the Transition from Institutional to Community-based Care, was convened in February 2009 by the then Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs Vladimir Špidla in order to address the issues of institutional care reform in the European Union.
The Group consists of organisations representing children, families, people with disabilities, mental health organisations, public and non-profit service providers, public authorities and intergovernmental organisations. They are COFACE (Confederation of Family Organisations in the EU), EASPD (European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities), EDF (European Disability Forum), ENIL/ECCL (European Network on Independent Living/European Coalition for Community Living), ESN (European Social Network), Eurochild, FEANTSA (European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless), Inclusion Europe, Lumos, MHE (Mental Health Europe), OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Europe Regional Office) and UNICEF.
For more information, please, contact:
Silvana Enculescu
Communications Officer
Inclusion Europe
www.inclusion-europe.org
Tel: +32 2 502 28 15
Fax: +32 2 502 80 10
E-mail: s.enculescu@inclusion-europe.org
