Implementation of Community Care: Case Studies

Abstract

In this chapter we consider community care in Croydon, an urban authority, and Norfolk, a predominantly rural county. The Croydon case study traces the implementation of community care through the lives and experiences of four women. The Norfolk case study interweaves the main narrative with the stories of six people with learning difficulties. Three themes are traced in both: education, living arrangements, and work/daytime occupation—echoing the themes of Chapter 3. This enables consideration of the impact of community care on how people lived and how they spent their time. There were connections between Croydon and Norfolk, part of the continuing migration of people with learning difficulties which had begun in the early part of the century (Rolph, 1999). Croydon residents were sometimes moved to residential placements in Norfolk and then returned when accommodation became available.