strongly believes in the Social Model of Disability as a positive way of
overcoming barriers and discrimination that disabled people face.
includes people with physical impairments, sensory impairments (deaf people,
blind people), chronic illness or health issues including HIV and AIDS; all
degrees of learning difficulties and emotional and behavioural problems. It also
includes people with hidden impairments such as epilepsy, diabetes, sickle cell
anaemia, specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia, speech and language
impairments, children labelled as delicate, people who identify as being
disfigured, people of diminutive stature and people with mental distress. All
are excluded by barriers that society puts in our way. These can be actual
physical barriers (which are the easiest to deal with) or barriers in the
attitude that others have towards us (these are harder to change).
Is the loss
or limitation of physical, mental or sensory function on a long term, or
This is the
loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the normal life of the
community on an equal level with others due to physical and social barriers.
Social Model of Disability.
This way of
looking at disability was developed by the disability movement who believe that
it is not the person’s impairment that is the problem but the way that society
treats disabled people and the barriers put in their way. Just because a person
has an impairment does not make them less of a human being.
Looking at the barriers disabled
people face is more solvable than looking for a cure. For example: if a person
with mobility problems has trouble walking up the stairs the medical model would
look at physiotherapy and equipment to help them walk up them. The Social Model
however would argue that there should be a lift or ramp instead. Not only will
this help the disabled person but it will also help parents with prams and
disability in this way makes disabled people feel good about themselves and
empowers them to fight for their human rights.
more choice and control for the disabled person in all aspects of their lives
disabled person would work with medical and other professionals rather than be
controlled by them.
to be the traditional way of looking at disability. Unlike the Social Model it
looks at the disabled person as being the problem.
The disabled person tends to feel
bad about themselves and feels dependent on others.
to change the disabled person’s life lies within the medical and associated
professions through cures, science and “normalisation”.
is made to fit in. If this is not possible then they could find themselves in
some special institution or end up lonely at home where only their basic needs
There is a
lack of choice and control.
people are feared, talked down to or pitied.
impairment is focused on rather than the needs of the person.
people’s assessments of the disabled person (carried out by a non-disabled
person) are used to decide where they live, what support is given, their
employment opportunities, whether or not they can work.
during pregnancy can decide whether the person should be born.
Source: (adapted from) Disability Equality in Education November 2002