Views of people with learning difficulties about current and future accommodation: the use of focus groups to promote discussion

There is growing emphasis on inclusion as a central philosophy in services for people with learning difficulties in the UK, Europe and the USA. Coupled with this is recognition of the need to more actively involve people with learning difficulties in the research process through the use of more inclusive approaches.This paper reports the use of focus groups as a strategy to data collection in a project which sought to review existing accommodation and support and in the light of this contribute to a plan for future services over the next five years. A number of important key themes emerged relating to the importance of social networks, inclusion, reciprocal relationships, privacy and security. The implications arising from these findings for the provision of accommodation and support are considered. Furthermore it was concluded that focus groups are potentially a valuable approach in research that seeks to actively involve people with learning difficulties.