Self-determination of adults with profound intellectual disabilities – limitations and opportunities

Abstract

The subject of the article is the issue of self-determination of people with profound intellectual disabilities in the context of civil law in force in Poland and the widespread use of the institution of incapacitation. The limitations on the autonomy of people with profound intellectual disabilities and changes in the approach to this group over the past years in relation to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities ratified by Poland in 2012 were discussed. The concept of self-determination and the difficulties with its implementation in the conditions of Polish law are characterized. The assumptions of the supported decision-making model, which is being worked on in the Ministry of Justice, were presented. The results of own research were presented, which were conducted among parents of adults with profound intellectual disabilities who did not incapacitate their children. The motives that guided the parents in abandoning the incapacitation procedure and the difficulties they experience in everyday life due to the lack of incapacitation are presented. The summary contains conclusions for pedagogical practice.