For over forty years Wolf Wolfensberger has been a significant figure in the world of human services, especially in the field of learning disability. His work on normalization and citizen advocacy in the late 1960s and early 1970s has been acknowledged by supporters and critics alike to have been fundamental to developments in a number of countries, most notably his adopted country, and the USA, Canada, Australasia, and the UK. His further work in developing the theory of social role valorization, the successor to normalisation, and as a commentator on broader trends in society and their...

This book is the first to present a full-length account of Wolfenberger's theory of Social Role Valorization with specific reference to the English context. It addresses the critiques that form a key part of the 'English experience' of social role valorization. It clearly demonstrates that social role valorization is a theory directly relevant to individuals and caring services working with vulnerable groups. The author shows how this concept can be used to develop strategies for action that can inform the practice of individuals and organisations seeking to respond to a changing social and...