Introduction

Since de-institutionalisation began in the 1970s in many Western jurisdictions, family caregiving has been affected by an orchestrated set of policies and measures aimed at reducing state involvement in welfare provision. Home care has arguably been a victim of larger neo-liberal processes in which economic, socio-cultural, and political problems are displaced into voluntary services and the family in order to restructure state responsibility and save public finances. Support provided by family and friends is the critical foundation of community care. In particular, caregiving for young adults with intellectual disabilities is in large part determined by the resources of individual families and the mix of community services available. Often a lack of support mechanisms for carers can lead to other considerable social and economic costs such as family breakdown and institutionalisation.