Bengt Nirje on Normalization

Bengt Nirje: And one example I can take up here. This is in Swedish. It is a publication by the an official publication by the Swedish Ministry of Social Affairs, the Department of Social Affairs. And it deals with the presentation of proposal on new legislation for disabled, for handicapped, mentally handicapped [Inaudible] who [Inaudible]. This is an edition in easy to read Swedish, [Inaudible] so that mentally handicapped persons could meet and discuss the proposal, and send in their points of views. And that's the second time we have done that in the Swedish Legislator.

We did already at the beginning of the '80s with regard to the law of the 1986. I had ten groups in my county on trying to aid mentally handicapped people that we were meeting for ten times during that period discussing their points and [Inaudible] and experience of the old law and then you decide for the new law. Now that was gathered from the whole country and what they said there was of great interest because it was easier reading than most politicians. And they got to perfect it. And now we've done it a second time, dealing with [Inaudible]. [Inaudible] not only the mentally handicapped but also others with severe [Inaudible] physical disabilities that need a considerable amount of daily support or services. For that is [Inaudible] who will take part in this [Inaudible] about their own situation. [Inaudible]. And that's also one part of administration of the principle of normalization. Some of the consequences Inaudible].