The Social Model of Disability
MCIL uses the social model of disability in its policies and practice. Disabled people and their own organisations have for over 30 years challenged the traditional view that they are disabled by their individual conditions of mind, body or senses (impairments).
The normal diversity of the human population has always, and will always, include people with impairments. These impairments can cause individuals to have individual limitations or a particular appearance. That people with impairments are part of the population has not been taken into account by society, and this has caused their exclusion, and they are discriminated against - that is, they are disabled by this situation. This way of understanding what disability has become known as the social model of disability.
One result of this exclusion and discrimination is a perceived requirement of 'special' and segregated facilities in education, employment, housing, transport and any other area of society.
Because MCIL uses the social model of disability it promotes an approach which identifies disabling barriers, and finds ways of removing them. MCIL does not consider disabled people to have 'special needs', but rather that they have not been taken into account in the first place.
The social model of disability can be summed up:
- Disability is what people with impairment experience as a result of not being taken into account by society.
- Disablism is the practice of not taking account of people with impairments, (thus creating a false notion of normality, pressure to conform to this false notion and the separate development of people with impairments).
- Impairment is certain differences of appearance or functioning of mind, body or senses that society deems to be abnormal.
(Credit: Union of Physically Impaired Against Segregation 1976: this wording credit, Pam Thomas, Coalition Magazine, November 2004))
Independent Living
Disabled people have identified this as being important in our taking part in society on equal terms.
Originally there were just seven action points devised by disabled people, which identify the barriers to independent living, and how they can be removed. These were drawn up by the Derbyshire Coalition of Disabled People and were mainly what disabled people need in order to get out of residential institutions.
Over the years others have been added by various others - these are at the end of the page.
The main focus of activity in the Centre for Independent Living has been on direct payments and personal assistance.
Information
Disabled people require information on what is available to assist with independent living.
Peer Support
Disabled People need the support of other disabled people to discuss how to make best use of the information obtained and for ongoing support.
Housing
Disabled People need accessible housing. This may be in terms of wheelchair access or in terms of support and advice in relation to having one's own accommodation.
Equipment
Many disabled people need particular types of practical equipment to assist them in living independently.
Personal Assistants
This is the one to one support that some disabled people need to live in their own home and be part of the community. This is why direct payments which are made in lieu of community care services are so important.
Transport
This may mean improved public transport in terms of physical access, information about the routes, more assistance for passengers who are unsure about using public transport; improved routes to take into account the issues for disabled people. It may mean access to personal transport such as the use of cars or support to use other forms of transport for those who are unsure about using other forms of transport.
Access
The most obvious examples are about physical access such as dropped kerbs, level entrances to building, provision of accessible public toilets. However access goes much further than this because there are barriers created by systems, practices and attitudes which prevent disabled people from participating. Events which do not take account of people's differing communications requirements.
The following have been added by various people:
Income - we all need an adequate income to live independently.
Education - Disabled people are not fully included in the education system and have less qualifications than non disabled people.
Employment - disabled people are discriminated against in the world of work, we have a higher rate of unemployment and often cannot get the arrangements or equipment we need to do a job.
Leisure - this is something most non-disabled people take for granted, yet disabled people are often excluded from many leisure activities through physical and attitudinal barriers.
Civil Rights
In the UK we do not have a bill of rights in the way that they have in other countries such as the USA. But this is a term that disabled people are using to say that there are certain things that citizens expect, but are denied disabled people. Because our society does not take account of people with impairments we are left out of arrangements for all the things mentioned above. This means we are discriminated against. Society does acknowledge that disabled people do not have an equal place - but rather than change the way society excludes us it has been left to medicine, welfare and charities to cure or 'care' for us. We have fought back and said we want "Rights not Charity".
Social Exclusion
This is about the way in which disabled people are left out of mainstream society. The government officially recognise disabled people as being a socially excluded group. Usually it is thought that employment is the main route to social inclusion, disabled people are more likely to be unemployed than any other group. However even when in work, many disabled people cannot find a home that is accessible to them, or access public transport to get to a job.