Deinstitutionalisation and recommunalisation in Estonia and Hungary: a tale of two states

Abstract

ABSTRACT When it comes to changes in patterns of care in Central and Eastern Europe, one of the most noteworthy to arise has been that of the shift in patterns of care and living for people with disabilities. Typically, this involves a transition from large-scale residential institutions to a variety of smaller placements and living places in the community. This article offers for consideration two case studies from Central and Eastern Europe, namely Estonia and Hungary. The authors delineate the principal arguments and interests shaping the differing processes of deinstitutionalisation to be found in these two countries, including stakeholder perceptions. As well as seeking to account for this variation exists in Estonia and Hungary, the authors contend that while this process is usually termed ‘deinstitutionalisation’, it also needs to be perceived as a reclaiming and regaining of community spaces by people with disabilities, effectively involving a process of ‘re-communalisation’. It is also suggested that policymakers and other stakeholders have much to learn from such comparisons, especially for adopting more inclusive visions of deinstitutionalisation