Taxonomy of resettlements

In theory (and in practice) there are many possible ways for a person to leave an institution and resettle in the community. However, there are three main clusters of possible resettlement: to move to a family, into an intermediary structure or to live independently.

In the first case, one can move into his or her own family or another family. His or her own family can be a family of his or her parents (family of origin – usually referred as a ‘biological’ family). It can be also a family that he or she has created – with a spouse and eventual children (created family), or a family of his or her offspring – daughters, sons (progeny family) or a family of more distant relatives (siblings, aunts and uncles, nephews, cousins etc.). Another family can be a foster family (for children) or ‘caring’ family for adults, it can be also temporary or relatively permanent accommodation with friends or neighbours (or other people in the person’s informal network) or it can be just board and lodging with a family.[1]

Intermediary structures are usually group homes of various sorts. These can be for short, medium and long-term residence. Short term generally respond to a some kind of crisis (shelters, runaway houses, respite facilities), second are meant for transitional periods (half-way houses, hostels, therapeutic communities) and third are long-term solutions intended for people to live in them for longer periods of time. In principle, intermediary structures are meant as temporary or transitory solutions, as facilities that enable residents to learn skills needed for a life in a community, to regroup and recuperate, actually they have to be seen as rehabilitative facilities.[2] Similar to the group homes there are housing communities (cooperatives), in which people live out of their choice. Unlike in the group homes, they are not residents of a facility, guests to the provider of the services, but are rightful tenants. 

Day centres are also intermediate structures; however, they do not provide accommodation. Therefore, strictly speaking no one can be resettled into a day centre. Nevertheless, we list them since they are of crucial importance in some resettlements, and are usually used in conjunction with living in a group home, own or foster family, or with independent living.

One form of intermediary structure, very similar to foster care or care in another family is being accommodated with staff that used to care for them while they still resided in an institution. The difference to a caring family would be that a staff is still employed in organisation, has the qualification and responsibility equivalent to one he held previously. On the other end of spectrum, there are intermediary structures that are very similar to the independent living. In a ‘core and cluster’ arrangement there are independent flats scattered in a distinct area – close to each other but still dispersed in an estate. Users live in them independently but get support from the same staff who are also situated in the area (core), in an office or even with a day centre or a club attached to it.

Independent living, in terms of resettlement and accommodation, means that somebody lives in his or her own flat or house, which he or she is owning or renting – i.e. has a legal or actual tenancy over it, even if he or she chooses to have a flat-mate. Resettlement to independent living can be organised or spontaneous, a part of systematic resettlement plan or self-invented and organised by resident him or herself or by its family or friends. If organised, it can be with or without formal support. If there is support, its intensity can vary to great extent from just occasional visits of support staff to 24 hours presence of a personal assistant. It varies also with a kind of support one receives. It can be a personal assistant, personal care package or just home care.

In the figure above these resettlement options are schematically presented. The ones frequently used in Macedonia are emphasised with bold outline.

There are other possible resettlement from an institution. One can be moved within an institution or moved to another institution. In principle, these are not resettlements that should be considered in deinstitutionalisation process, since in the first case a resident stays in the institution and in the second, it is not about deinstitutionalisation but transinstitutionalisation. These quasi-resettlement can, however, in certain cases, be important part of deinstitutionalisation if they aim at improving possibilities for real resettlements or if they contribute to greater quality of life, freedom, mobility and change in the atmosphere and culture of the institution at hand. This is why we shall present also those in the tables below and add as well note on the processes of transforming culture and relationship in an institution.

Claimer: This blog is intended as a part of Situation Analysis and Assessment/ Evaluation Report of Implementation of National Strategy on Deinstitutionalisation 2008–2018, which will be soon presented to the public within the EU framework project Technical assistance support for the deinstitutionalization process in social sector.

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[1] This can be only for board and lodging with support. In this case, necessary support would be provided by community service or personal assistance. Alternatively, the family providing board and lodging can be contracted also for some (marginal) care service.

[2] Unfortunately, not only in Macedonia, these structures become a permanent solution for many ex-residents. This should not be a case, or maybe for a small minority of residents with intense needs that are to be provided in such a setting.