all across Europe
European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities
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EASPD is the European Association of Service providers for Persons with Disabilities and represents over 20,000 support services for persons with disabilities across Europe.
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We promote equal opportunities for people with disabilities through effective and high-quality service systems.
Key areas of work
areas of work
Education
areas of work
Employment
areas of work
Inclusive Living
areas of work
Technology
areas of work
Early Childhood Intervention
areas of work
Arts and Culture
areas of work
Workforce Development
areas of work
Funding of Social Services
We must take concrete steps to transform services into person-centered models that empower individuals, while positioning service providers as key drivers of this shift toward a human rights-based approach.
Kirsi Konola, EASPD President
EASPD Knowledge Café: Promising practices on Legal Capacity and Supported Decision-Making for people with disabilities
The right to make one's own decisions is fundamental to human dignity and autonomy. For too long, people with disabilities have faced barriers to exercising legal capacity, often being subjected to substitute decision-making regimes that remove their voice from decisions about their lives. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) affirms the equal right of persons with disabilities to enjoy legal capacity and obliges states to provide access to the support they may require in exercising this right.
Supported Decision-Making (SDM) is a human rights-based approach that respects and enables persons with disabilities to make their own choices with the assistance of trusted supporters. This model promotes inclusion, agency, and equality, moving beyond guardianship and paternalistic systems.
This Knowledge Café will present and discuss Models of promising Practices on Legal Capacity and Supported Decision-Making for People with Disabilities. This collection of good practice features contributions from EASPD members and non-members, providing inspiring examples of how supported decision-making can be effectively put into practice to support people with disabilities in exercising their right to legal capacity.
Agenda
Moderator: TBC
11:00 | Welcome Remarks |
11:05 | Introduction Legal Capacity and Supported Decision-Making
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11:15 | EASPD’s Report: Models of promising practices on legal capacity and supported decision-making for people with disabilities
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11:25 | Practice 1: Support Girona
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11:35 | Practice 2: Disability Federation of Ireland
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11:45 | Practice 3: UDAF 82
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11:55 | Discussion |
12:25 | Concluding remarks |
Why social services must be part of the EU’s Apply AI Strategy
EASPD contributes to the Call for Evidence on the European Commission's Apply AI Strategy.
Art competition in Portugal fosters inclusion and self-expression of artists with intellectual disabilities
Our Portuguese member APPACDM do Porto is hosting CRIDEM, a plastic arts competition for people with intellectual disabilities.
Network for Sustainable Development in Public Procurement calls for value-driven and strategic procurement system
EASPD and its partners in the Network for Sustainable Development in Public Procurement published an open letter to the European Parliament.
Schools and local communities unite to celebrate ACT-INCLUSIVE Inclusion Days
Throughout spring 2025, the ACT-INCLUSIVE project partners successfully held a series of Inclusion Days across five countries.
Empowering youth through inclusive volunteering
"Be a Volunteer!" hosted a week-long programme in Hungary, bringing together young people with disabilities from across Europe.
Sports stakeholders unite to advance inclusive sports journalism
The SIMS project brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to collaborate and advance inclusive sports journalism in Europe.
Council's Conclusions on inclusive, learner-centred practices in early childhood education and care
The Council of the EU calls for inclusive, learner-centred education to foster equality across all early and school education levels.
Care and support for children with disabilities within the family environment
EASPD contributes to the call for inputs of the UN Special Rapporteur on rights of persons with disabilities.
Calendar
EASPD Knowledge Café: Promising practices on Legal Capacity and Supported Decision-Making for people with disabilities
The right to make one's own decisions is fundamental to human dignity and autonomy. For too long, people with disabilities have faced barriers to exercising legal capacity, often being subjected to substitute decision-making regimes that remove their voice from decisions about their lives. Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD) affirms the equal right of persons with disabilities to enjoy legal capacity and obliges states to provide access to the support they may require in exercising this right.
Supported Decision-Making (SDM) is a human rights-based approach that respects and enables persons with disabilities to make their own choices with the assistance of trusted supporters. This model promotes inclusion, agency, and equality, moving beyond guardianship and paternalistic systems.
This Knowledge Café will present and discuss Models of promising Practices on Legal Capacity and Supported Decision-Making for People with Disabilities. This collection of good practice features contributions from EASPD members and non-members, providing inspiring examples of how supported decision-making can be effectively put into practice to support people with disabilities in exercising their right to legal capacity.
Agenda
Moderator: TBC
11:00 | Welcome Remarks |
11:05 | Introduction Legal Capacity and Supported Decision-Making
|
11:15 | EASPD’s Report: Models of promising practices on legal capacity and supported decision-making for people with disabilities
|
11:25 | Practice 1: Support Girona
|
11:35 | Practice 2: Disability Federation of Ireland
|
11:45 | Practice 3: UDAF 82
|
11:55 | Discussion |
12:25 | Concluding remarks |