Social Model of Disability
An introduction to the Social Model of Disability
It is widely accepted that disabled people generally have fewer opportunities and a lower quality of life than non-disabled people. Any actions taken to deal with or remove the disadvantage experienced by disabled people depend on what is believed to be the cause of the disadvantage.
There are two different ways of explaining what causes the disadvantage and using 'models' can illustrate these, namely: an Individual (or medical) model of disability, and a Social Model of Disability
- The Medical Model of Disability says that the failure of an individual's body causes disadvantage.
- The Social Model says that how an individual's body works doesn't matter because people are "disabled" through such things as lack of physical access and people's attitudes.
The Medical Model of Disability regards 'disablement' as the problem - and fault - of the individual. It looks at impairment as something that needs to be cured and the disabled person made well and 'normal'. The emphasis is put on a persons ability to be the same as everybody else or the effort needed to get them back to as 'normal' as possible.
Words like patient, case, tragedy, handicap, sufferer, pity, charity are symptoms of the Medical Model of Disability.
The Social Model of Disability turns it all on its head by saying that disablement is caused by the physical and emotional barriers erected and enforced by society. A person's medical condition is irrelevant.
Disabled people do not create barriers, society does. Disability is viewed as something which is imposed on people with impairments (whether they have a physical impairment, sensory impairment, learning difficulty or mental health issue) by a society which creates barriers to equality.
Words like independence, choice, control, human rights, dignity, diversity equality, opportunity, participation, are at the centre of the Social Model of Disability
The key definitions of the Social Model are:
- Impairment
- An injury, illness, or congenital condition that causes or is likely to cause a long term effect on physical appearance and / or limitation of function within the individual that differs from the commonplace.
- Disability
- The loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in society on an equal level with others due to social and environmental barriers.
The Social Model in Wales
Several key public bodies and institutions in Wales, for example the National Assembly for Wales, and some local authorities, have adopted the Social Model. Some key voluntary sector bodies have also recognised the Social Model.
But Disability Wales wants more than just words; we need to make sure it is put into deeds. For example, in Wales we still have:
- Inaccessible transport services
- Segregated education
- Harassment and hate crimes against disabled people
- Poor access to goods and services, for example leisure centres, cinemas and shops
- Inaccessible housing
- Insufficient home care services
The evidence on the ground is that many public and private sector bodies have not embraced the Social Model and a great deal of work needs to be done to remove disabling barriers at all levels in society.
The Social Model of Disability is a positive approach to disability, because disabled people are all members of society and, if barriers can be created, then they can also be removed.
Disability Wales / Anabledd Cymru © 2006
