The TCAID Policy Lab is where research meets action. Bringing together community members and academics to work side by side, we are committed to true co-creation, with people with intellectual disabilities and their families as central partners rather than on the sidelines. Their lived experience, combined with academic expertise, innovative services, and government engagement, informs every stage of our work. Through this approach, we aim to build a new ecosystem for policy research and innovation in Ireland and beyond.

What We Do

The Policy Lab is:

• Community-centred: rooted in lived experience, prioritising what matters most to people ageint with intellectual disabilities
• Collaborative & Multidisciplinary: bringing together expertise from health, social care, policy, law, data and beyond.
• Exploratory & Applied: a safe space to test, adapt, and co-create solutions to real world policy challenges.
• Impact Driven: turning evidence into better services, stronger systems, and policies that transform lives. 

Building on flagship initiatives like IDS-TILDA, the Policy Lab cultivates deep relationships with people with intellectual disabilities and their families, NGOs, service providers, the Health Service Executive, and government departments. Together, we are shaping a new ecosystem of policy research and development in Ireland and internationally.

Our Ethos

Through strong Public and Patient Involvement (PPI), the Policy Lab ensures that policies and practices are not just about people with intellectual disabilities, but are created with them, for them, and guided by their insights. The TCAID Policy Lab is more than a research hub – it is a movement for inclusive, evidence-informed policymaking, dedicated to building a future where ageing with an intellectual disability means living with dignity, opportunity, and voice.

IDS-TILDA’s Presence in National & International Policy documents