The Disability Services Act was reformed at the beginning of 2025, bringing about the most significant substantive reform to disability services in decades. The aim and purpose of the new Act is to promote the equality, inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society, and to prevent and remove barriers to their realisation. Services provided under the Act support the independent living and self-determination of persons with disabilities and ensure sufficient, high-quality services that meet individual needs and best interests.
There is not yet extensive experience, expertise or shared practices regarding the implementation of the new and reformed services introduced by the legislation. To ensure that the purpose and objectives of the Act are realised as effectively and rapidly as possible, shared interpretation and support for the application of the Act are needed.
In the Towards Fair Disability Services project, development work supporting the application of the Act focuses on support for mobility, coaching, support for housing, and the client process in disability social work.
The project’s primary target groups are the wellbeing services counties responsible for organising disability services and disability organisations, experts and professionals working in disability services, as well as service providers and organisational management. The project’s indirect target groups include persons with disabilities and users of disability services, disability councils of the wellbeing services counties, universities and other educational institutions, and the Council of State and other public authorities, such as supervisory authorities.
Goals
The objective of the project is to strengthen the realisation of the rights and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Services and service processes will be developed in cooperation with disability organisations and wellbeing services counties in four work packages: support for mobility, coaching, support for housing, and the client process in disability social work.
The project will
- develop practices and operating models for services in accordance with the new legislation
- increase the competence and understanding of employees and management in disability services in the wellbeing services counties regarding the new Disability Services Act and its practical application
- strengthen the competence of disability organisations in client advisory services
- increase and streamline cooperation between wellbeing services counties and organisations, and clarify roles, responsibilities and structures of cooperation.
Implementation
The four work packages of the project will be advanced using co-development methods in workshops together with wellbeing services counties and disability organisations. Each work package is structurally and temporally divided into three workshop phases, which THL will organise regionally by cooperation area. In addition, one workshop will be organised for disability organisations in each work package. Each workshop phase will be followed by a joint seminar presenting the outputs and results of the work packages.
Funding
European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) and THL
Partners
Vammaisfoorumi ry and Hyvinvointialueyhtiö Hyvil Oy
Contact details
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