Introduction to the course

Personal assistance is a concept that comes out of the disabled people’s movement. Rather than being dependent on family members, or care workers in an institution, disabled people can live independently in the community, supported by workers who they pay directly and control.

This course is aimed at both personal assistants and disabled employers. It covers many of the situations that could arise in a working relationship such as conflict and how to rectify this.

The course written by Professor Tom Shakespeare is based on research conducted at the University of East Anglia and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

There are a range of exercises and ways to interact with this course and we hope that you find it useful whether you are looking to become a personal assistant or are an employer looking to recruit.