Fairness informed practice: how people with intellectual disabilities want to be treated by services responding to domestic violence and abuse

Purpose This paper aims to explore what fairness and unfairness mean to people with intellectual disabilities and describes how fairness and unfairness are experienced within the context of services triggered by domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Further to this, the paper seeks to develop an understanding of how people with intellectual disabilities want to be treated by services responding to DVA. Design/methodology/approach Remote semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven adults with intellectual disabilities in England. Findings The author learned about the participants’ perceptions and experiences of fairness and unfairness, and how they wanted services responding to DVA to support them. They wanted to experience dignity, respect, equal opportunities and fair care and support. They said these things would help them achieve their goals and ambitions. Originality/value The paper examines fairness and unfairness in DVA interventions for people with intellectual disabilities, proposing new definitions of these terms. It introduces the Fairness Informed Practice (FIP) framework to guide professionals, emphasising relationship-based, trauma-informed, anti-discriminatory and reflexive approaches.