Preserving and Encouraging Self-Determination in Adult Protection
The study reconstructs practices of preserving and encouraging self-determination in the field of adult protection. An additional research question adresses the importance of the federal and cantonal legal prescriptions. The project will identify best practices and aims on the development of improvements for practical use.
Project description (ongoing research project)
The project examines the historical and today’s practice of adult protection in respect to practices, organizational structures and cultures which preserve and encourage clients' self-determination. The
project has four intertwined parts: In the main part, we focus on the decision-making process of the adult protection authorities. In the second part, a legal analysis on the law regulations since 1960 on the federal and cantonal law level in three cantons will be carried out. Because practices are also influenced by the professional discourse in adult protection and by discourses in the public sphere, we plan a third project part with a historical discourse analysis. The fourth part of the project will elaborate recommendations for the preservation and the encouragement of self-determination.
.Background
The practice of adult protection had historically a big variety of differences in organizational patterns, processes, and cultures and legal prescriptions. After the reform of the child and adult protection law in 2013, many of these differences still exist. Therefore, the project analyses data from selected organizations in three cantons with different organizational types of adult protection authorities: Zürich, Bern and Aargau. As it was an important aim of the law reform to strenghten the self-determination of clients, we will study why and how the practices differ.
Aim
The aim is to create knowledge about practices to preserve and encourage self-determination of clients in the field of adult protection and to initiate and support improvements.
Relevance
Based on the identification of best practices with regard to preserving and encouraging self-determination of clients in adult protection, we will, together with practitioners from the field, establish recommendations. In order to get them vivid in the field of adult protection and the development of these practices, the project will initiate symposiums, workshops and vocational trainings. The results will also give a solid ground for organizational developments.
Original title
Preserving and Encouraging Self-Determination in Adult Protection