People close to the individual
The proposed groups would include at least five people, such as assistants, relatives or friends. Their task would be to support the individual’s own will and preferences. The institute’s 2025 annual report described a first study circle, launched on 26 November with members of the self-advocacy association Inre Ringen Stockholm. [1][2]
Who holds decision-making power?
Project lawyer Mari Siilsalu explained the difference between replacing someone’s decisions and enabling that person to decide. Researcher Niklas Altermark discussed how staff assumptions in group homes can prevent self-determination. Participants considered how methods developed abroad could fit Swedish welfare arrangements without transferring control away from the person concerned. [1]
A funded trial of new methods
The Swedish Inheritance Fund awarded the project 5,696,300 kronor for a three-year programme. Its description includes study circles, peer support and practical decision-support groups for adults and older people with disabilities. These were methods being developed and tested, with a longer-term ambition to influence existing systems of legal representation. [3][2]