Disability and Social Work Reflective Journal 2pages
Sarahhhhh
CH_7_CommunicationandEngagement.pptxCommunication and Engagement
Chapter 7
Communication
Is a fundament component of human existence
“at the heart of being human”
Relies on:
Body language
The way one dresses
Physical contact
Communication
Goes beyond mere transmission of information between people and enables us to express:
Feelings
Needs and desires
To develop our identity
To form and sustain relationships with others
To maintain quality of life
Social Workers
Good communication skills are central to positive social work practice
Communication enables us to engage and form positive working relationships with:
Service users
Care-givers
Families and colleagues
Address sensitive issues
Respond to conflict and distress
Person’s Communication
Affected by illness or impairment
Parkinson’s disease
Stroke and health injury
Cerebral palsy
Sensory impairments
Deafblindness
Dual sensory loss
As many as 10% of all children have long-term speech, language and communication needs, some of which are linked to physical impairment.
Barriers to communicating
Failure to meet communication needs
A lack of skill
Knowledge or communicative ability on the part of the practitioner
Failure to make reasonable adjustments
Providing interpreters
Negative assumptions about the value of what individuals with disabilities have to say*
People speak on the individual with disabilities behalf*
https://www.ted.com/talks/stephen_hawking_asks_big_questions_about_the_universe?language=en
Language
Language is inherently powerful
How is language used in media, academic publications and political speeches about individuals with disabilities.
Language can be used to
Attack and destroy
To belittle
Undermine
Incite hatred
Poor communication can result in discriminatory and oppressive practices
Language
Language has also been used, whether intentionally or not, in ways that dehumanized disabled people.
Downgrading human life
“wheelchair bound”
“special needs”
Degrading
Patronizing
dehumanizing
Language
Be sensitive to the terms individuals with disabilities use themselves and ensure that they have the “final word” on preferred terminology.
Be mindful of what is “outsider” words and what are “insider” words
Social isolation and limited participation
Communication is key to:
Establishing, developing and maintaining personal relationships
A quality social life
Engagement in civic participation
Communication and isolation are intrinsically linked.
High levels of social isolation among deafblind
Social Inclusion
Excluded from participation in decision-making forums concerning care and support.
Those with communication impairments as being at particular risk of exclusion from participatory activity
Limited engagement in groups
Why is this?
People with disabilities are afforded insufficient time to contribute to the conversation
Consequently are spoken over or have their sentences finished for them.
Barriers to achieving increased self-determination and autonomy
How to we improve this problem?
Ensure additional time
Communication facilitators
Communication aides
Attachment and Communication Needs
Research suggests that higher number of children with disabilities than non-disabled children are insecurely attached.
Communication difficulties impact
Parents stress and caregiving quality
Therefore, attachment security.
Parents may become less emotionally available and offer less responsive caregiving
Risk of insecure attachments
Social Workers
Need to be trained in positive communication
Proper language
Terminology
Quality of support offered
Need to get to know the individual
Service users
Communication preferences
Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
Range of techniques, systems, aids and equipment used with or instead of spoken communication to support those with oral communication impairments.
2 categories
Unaided communication:
feature that do not involve spoken language, such as body language, facial expression, gesture and signing
Aided communication:
makes use of aids or equipment, from simple tools such as pens and paper, writing boards, wipe boards and communication charts to electronic equipment and high-tech devices such as voice-output communication aids (VOCAs)
AAC devices
Multi-message devices
Voice amplification systems
Synthetic voice aids
Real-time communication systems controlled by eye gaze and eye movement
“Mobile Lorm Glove” makes use of pressure sensors to enable deafblind tactile alphabet users to send and receive text messages
Why are AAC devices so important
May prevent communicative dependency on others
Increases participation
Promotes interpersonal interaction
Reduced the marginalization of those with communication impairments
Barriers to using AAC Devices
Cost of the equipment/financial barriers
Equipment design and operational limitations
What are these?
Lack of training or poor quality training of devices
Lack of ongoing human support
Self-consciousness of the users
.MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Fill { fill:#4472C4; } .MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Stroke { stroke:#4472C4; }
.MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Fill { fill:#4472C4; } .MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Stroke { stroke:#4472C4; }
.MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Fill { fill:#4472C4; } .MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Stroke { stroke:#4472C4; }
.MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Fill { fill:#4472C4; } .MsftOfcThm_Accent1_Stroke { stroke:#4472C4; }
