Better Health, Better Lives: research priorities: supporting the European Declaration on Children and Young People with Intellectual Disabilities and their Families

ABSTRACT

Across Europe, children with intellectual disability experience broad ranging and pervasive inequalities in their health and intheir life experiences and opportunities. These inequalities are, to a large extent, avoidable and unjust. This paper relates tothe priority areas identified in the European Declaration on Children and Young People with Intellectual Disabilities and theirFamilies.One of the challenges facing this field is the lack of knowledge and the absence of evidence for interventions. This gap canbecome an excuse for inaction, even if a will to change exists. This paper service an important purpose by outlining thepresent situation, and indicating a way forward. For each area the authors (1) briefly summarize the state of existingevidence that would support action in relation to the priority area; and (2) identify three priorities for further research.