Outreach
Historically, care for people with disabilities was centred around large institutional facilities. Individuals were often expected to follow rigid routines, had limited personal freedom and rights, and were frequently separated from their families and broader society. These practices reinforced stigma and exclusion, keeping people with disabilities hidden from mainstream community life.
Over time, global thinking began to shift. International best practice moved away from institutionalisation toward community-based care, emphasising inclusion, dignity, and family participation. The goal became clear: to end the practice of isolating people with disabilities behind closed doors and instead support them to live, grow, and belong within their own communities.
From its founding in the United Kingdom in 1948, Leonard Cheshire Disability was ahead of its time. Cheshire Homes were designed as warm, homelike environments rather than institutions. Resident groups were kept small to ensure personalised care, families were free to come and go, and residents were actively encouraged to participate in society—through education, skills development, and meaningful employment.
However, despite these progressive practices, services were largely limited to individuals living in residential homes or attending day care centres. Outside these safe spaces, many residents continued to experience discrimination, neglect, and even abuse within their communities. Fear of stigma often caused individuals to retreat, undermining the very goal of community integration.
It became clear that lasting change could not happen in isolation. True inclusion had to begin at community level.
This understanding gave rise to Cheshire Homes South Africa’s outreach programmes, which are grounded in the internationally recognised Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) model. CBR is a holistic approach that addresses the full spectrum of an individual’s life—health, education, livelihood, social inclusion, and empowerment—ensuring that people with disabilities are supported to live fulfilling and meaningful lives within their own communities.
Through outreach, Cheshire Homes South Africa works to challenge harmful misconceptions around disability, educate communities, and foster acceptance. The programme places strong emphasis on supporting parents and caregivers of children with disabilities, equipping them with practical caregiving skills, psychosocial support, and access to resources—so that children can spend more time at home and in their communities. Outreach initiatives also focus on strengthening community systems, building local capacity, and creating networks of support that enable both individuals and communities to heal, grow, and thrive together.
While significant progress has been made, the need remains vast. Expanding outreach programmes to reach more communities requires sustained funding, trained personnel, and long-term commitment.
With donor support, Cheshire Homes South Africa can scale these initiatives, ensuring that people with disabilities are not excluded, forgotten, or marginalised—but recognised as equal members of society, deserving of dignity, opportunity, and care. Your contribution helps move disability support beyond walls and into communities, where true inclusion begins.