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Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 1

Contents

Factsheet

The Social Model of Disability

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 2

Translated into Easy Read

The Social Model shows how disability is

something that is made by society. People

are disabled by a number of barriers.

These are barriers in the way things are

organised or planned and they are barriers

that stop people from getting around.

There are also barriers that are put up

because of the way that people think about

disability.

We can change and get rid of these

barriers. The Social Model tells us in a

good way what the problem is and how to

fix it. It takes us away from blaming the

person for things that they cannot do. It

says that impairment is and always will be

part of society. This then means that the

only real thing to do is to plan and organise

society so that it does not leave out

disabled people.

─── Barbara Lisicki, 2013

Impairment: there are different types of impairments,

some affect the way that a person can move and get

around. Others affect how a person can see or hear.

Impairments can also affect the way that a person

speaks, makes decisions or remembers things.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 3

Contents

Introduction 4

At the Start of the Social Model 5

Traditional Models of Disability 7

The Social Model of Disability 11

Attitudinal barriers 13

Physical barriers 14

Information and Communication barriers 15

Impairment vs Disability 19

Language 20

Disabled people or people with disabilities 21

The Biopsychosocial Model of Disability 23

Problems with the Social Model 26

Further reading and links 28

Moving Pictures and Still Pictures 28

History of Disabled People 30

Blogs and things being talked about now 32

For more information, please contact: 35

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 4

Introduction

The aim of this Factsheet is to give the

person reading this, some information

about the Social Model of Disability. It will

also give an idea of what the Social Model

of Disability means for us as Disabled

people as well as for society.

It is important to say that the word ‘model’

is a word that means a way of thinking or

an idea. There are a number of different

‘models’ of disability, they are written about

later in this factsheet. These models look at

disability in very different ways. The Social

Model can change and most of the time it

does not give the perfect answer.

A lot of the time this type of model is difficult

to use in real life examples. The Social

Model of Disability was never made to be a

perfect way of explaining disability. It was

made to explain Disabled peoples’

experience in society and as a way of

pushing for change.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 5

What is powerful about the Social Model is

that it does show the real life experience of

Disabled people. It is a different and easy to

use way of stopping Disabled people from

being put down and left out. With this

model, Disabled people do not have to

change who they are to get the same rights

and opportunities as non-disabled people.

At the Start of the Social Model

In the 1960s and 1970s Disabled people

started to ask questions about their

experiences and why so many Disabled

people were in institutions and left out.

Disabled people started to talk about and

understand their experiences. They started

to ask questions about the way that society

thought about Disabled people. They also

started to ask questions about what society

thought Disabled people could and could

not do, and how Disabled people should

live.

Institutions: these are places where Disabled people

were sent to live, which were usually far away from

their homes.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 6

Disabled people started to stand against

discrimination and being left out. They

started to speak up about not having

choice and control in their lives. They also

started to stand up to the bad way that

people thought about Disabled people.

This was the beginning of the ‘Disability

People’s Rights Movement’.

At the beginning, a number of

organisations were set up, such as the

Union of the Physically Impaired Against

Segregation, and the Liberation Network

of People with Disabilities. At this time,

these groups were very important

because they were run by and for

Disabled people. The groups meant that

Disabled people could think in a political

way and get out and campaign for big change.

In the beginning, many of the Union of the

Physically Impaired Against Segregation

members lived in institutions. They

wanted to get out of these institutions to

live like other people, with choice and

control over how they live and who they

live with.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 7

They started a new way of thinking about

disability which looked at it as a rights and

equality issue, instead of a medical or

charity issue. These groups started to tell

people that they wanted choice and control

over their lives. As well as this they started

to talk about the changes in society that

would need to happen for Disabled people

to have the same rights and opportunities

as others.

This way of looking at disability was then

called the Social Model of Disability. Over

the last 40 years the Social Model has been

added to, had changes made and is always

being looked at. However, it is still both the

best way to explain disability and the best

guide for making sure there is equality and

real change for Disabled people.

Traditional Models of Disability

The Social Model of Disability was put

together by Disabled people. It was done

to stop Disabled people from being put

down and left out. It was put together to go

against other models that were around at

this time.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 8

These other models see disability as the

person’s medical problem that needs to be

stopped, treated or kept in check.

Some of the models also see disability as

something that needs charity and see

Disabled people as people who have had

bad luck and need to be looked after. The

models see Disabled people as needing to

use charity services that are different from

the services used by other non-disabled

people.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 9

Here is a diagram of a Medical Model of

Disability that shows some of the thinking

of this Model.

The social model came about as a way of going against

the Medical Model of Disability

The Problem is

the Disabled

Person

Can’t get out of the house

Can’t get out of

a wheelchair

Can’t walk

Can’t get up steps

Can’t see or hear

Is sick and looking for a way

to get better

Needs help and carers

Has fits

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 10

The Medical and Charitable Models of

Disability look more at what a Disabled

person ‘can’t do’ because of their

impairment. For example: “She cannot

walk, therefore she will never be able to

work”. A Medical Model of Disability will

then look at trying to help the person to

walk again through operations or

equipment.

A Charitable Model of Disability will think

that the person who cannot walk needs

special charity services. A lot of the time

these are different services than the

services used by non-disabled people.

These could be services such as day

centres instead of work.

Both of these Models say that the

‘problem’ is the Disabled person. By

doing this the model is saying that it is up

to the Disabled person to sort out their

problem. They are saying that it has

nothing to do with how society is run and

organised.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 11

People still use the Medical and Charitable

Models of Disability. The models can still

be seen in the way that government and

public organisations work. This happens

even though these organisations say that

they work to the Social Model of Disability.

The Social Model of Disability

The Social Model of Disability was put

together by Disabled people over the last

40 years. It is a very different model to the

Medical and Charitable models of disability.

It says that people have impairments but

that it is not because of the impairment that

they have to deal with discrimination.

Discrimination happens because of the

way that society is run and organised.

The Social Model of Disability says that

people with impairments are ‘disabled’ by

the barriers in society. These barriers

discriminate against Disabled people and

push them out of society.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 12

Here is a diagram of the Social Model of

Disability that shows some of the thinking

of this Model.

The Social Model of Disability says that the reason that

people with impairments are being put down and left out

is the way that society is run and organised.

The problem is

the disabling

world

Buildings are not

built in the right way

Stairs not ramps

No lifts

Special schools

Not enough sign language

interpreters Discrimination

Inaccessible transport

No parking places

No good jobs on offer

Families cut off

from other

people

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 13

The Social Model not only points out that

society is the cause of disability but, it also

gives a way of explaining how society

disables people with impairments.

Sometimes this is called a “barriers-

approach”.

The Social Model is a guide that points

out the barriers that disable people with

impairments. It is also a guide that

shows how to get rid of these barriers,

how to make the barriers smaller or how

to give support to get rid of the barriers.

Important barriers from a Social Model way of

thinking:

Attitudinal barriers: these are barriers

that come from the way that people think

about Disabled people

These ways of thinking lead to

discrimination and Disabled people being

left out of society.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 14

Some examples of this way of thinking

are: thinking that some people with

impairments can’t work, can’t be

independent, can’t have sex, shouldn’t

have children, need looking after, are like

children, are dangerous, should not be

seen because they are upsetting, or are

scroungers, etc.

Physical barriers: these are barriers that

stop people from getting around and out

and about

These are barriers that can be found in

public places such as streets and

buildings, as well as in houses.

Some examples of the many different

barriers are stairs and steps, corridors

that are not wide enough, kerbs, houses

and toilets that are not accessible, bad

lighting, not enough places to sit and

broken lifts. These barriers all stop

people from having equal access.

Scroungers: this has been used to talk about

Disabled people, and means that a person is living off

other people.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 15

Information and Communication

Barriers

These are barriers that come about when

information and communication is not

accessible.

For example when there are no British

Sign Language interpreters for Deaf

people, when there are no hearing

induction loops, when information is not

given in different accessible formats such

as Easy Read, plain English and large font.

Barriers “disable” people and mean that

people are pushed out of society,

discriminated against and do not have the

same opportunities as other people.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 16

The Social Model points out the barrier which

also means that it points out how to get rid of

the barrier; for example:

Barrier: The intercom in a block of flats

does not have a video camera,

therefore Deaf and hard of hearing

people who live there cannot see who

wants to come into the building.

How to get rid of the barrier: Get an

intercom with video for Deaf and hard

of hearing people who live in the

building.

Other benefits: Older people and

other people who may feel at risk feel

safer where they live.

Intercom: when living in a block of flats this is

used by the person wanting to come into the

building so that they can speak to a person inside

the building.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 17

From a Social Model way of thinking, there

needs to be different support in place so

that Disabled people can access real

independent living and stop discrimination.

These are known as the pillars of

independent living, a pillar is an important

part of something. The pillars are:

• The right accessible information

• Enough money to live on

• The right accessible health and social care

support

• Accessible transport

• Full access to all places when out of the

home

• Getting the right aids and equipment

• Enough accessible housing

• Enough personal assistant support

• Enough inclusive education and

training

• Equal opportunities for employment

Aids and equipment: these are things that help

a person to do things and get around

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 18

• Enough independent advocacy

and self-advocacy

• Enough peer counselling

The Social Model of Disability is good

as it looks at the barriers and how to

get rid of these barriers. By doing this

is gives a guide to inclusion and

equality that is good for everyone in

society, not just for Disabled people.

Independent advocacy: this type of service makes

sure that people can get and use their rights, have a

stronger voice and have as much control as possible.

Being independent means that the advocacy service

is not linked to any person or organisation that is part

of the person’s local authority care and support

decision.

Peer counselling: here, this is a way of disabled

people supporting each other to talk about issues and

experiences going on in their lives.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 19

Impairment vs Disability

When looking at this from a Social Model

way of thinking, there is a big difference

between impairment and disability:

Impairment is a person’s physical,

sensory or cognitive difference. For

example, being blind, experiencing bipolar,

having M.S. or a learning difficulty.

Disability is the name for what happens in

society when a person has an impairment.

People with impairments are disabled by

society. So, this means that disability is

something that is made by society and can

therefore be changed or gotten rid of.

Physical impairment: this affects the way that a

person can move and get around.

Sensory impairment: these affect a person’s senses,

like touch, smell, being able to see and hear.

Cognitive impairment: this affects the way that the

brain works. It might affect the way that people

remember things, how they speak or how they make

decisions.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 20

Language: this means the words that people use

Language is one of the ways that we can

see the way that society thinks. For a long

time, the language and words used to talk

about Disabled people have not been

good.

They have shown a medical or charitable

way of looking at disability. Some of the

words used are: “handicapped”, “cripple”,

“wheelchair bound”, “retarded”, “suffering

from” and “special needs”.

The Social Model does not use these

words or this way of talking. It uses

words that show Disabled people’s

experiences in a better way.

For example, “Disabled person” (not

“handicapped” or “cripple”), “wheelchair

user” (not “wheelchair bound”), “person

with learning difficulties” (not “retarded”),

“person with an impairment” (not “suffering

from”) and “access needs” (not “special

needs”).

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 21

Although the words we use to talk

about things change over time, it is

important to respect and use the

language that Disabled people have

chosen.

Disabled people or people with disabilities?

The Social Model way of thinking uses

the words ‘Disabled people’. People

with impairments use this to make it

clear that it is society that leaves us out

and discriminates against us.

When using the words ‘Disabled

people’ or ’Disabled person’, we are

not talking about what a person can or

cannot do. We are talking about our

shared experience of how society

disables people with impairments.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 22

The words Disabled people bring

together a big and very different group

of people with impairments. They come

together to point out the reasons for

discrimination, tell people about our

shared experience and to make change

happen in society.

Medical Model words such as “a person

with disabilities” makes it sound like

disability is the person’s issue or

something that the person has. This is

wrong. It is the barriers in society that

disable us, not our impairments.

The Social Model of Disability is very

important in the fight for inclusion and

equality for Disabled people. However,

as with any model, there are some

issues.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 23

The two issues at the moment are:

1. The Biopsychosocial Model of Disability:

This model of Disability looks at

disability as the person’s problem.

The model was put together by

health insurance companies in

America.

Health Insurance Companies: these are

companies that pay for the cost of people’s health

care when they need to use it. People pay money

to these companies each month, whether they are

ill or not. This money is then what pays for a

person’s healthcare.

Biopsychosocial model: this model says that a

disability can be explained through looking at your

body, the way you think and the way that you live

your life.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 24

This model sees what the Disabled person

is going through as their problem. For

example this model would say that the main

reason for Disabled people not having a job

is the person’s own bad way of thinking

about work, which needs changing.

From this way of thinking, if a Disabled

person does not find work, it is because

they did not really want to get a job or they

were not open to different types of work.

This is a scary way of looking at disability

because this model says that the answer

to disability equality is to take away rights

and support. This is because it says that

these kind of things stop people from

getting out there and looking after

themselves.

It also says that to get equality we need to

stop seeing disability as something made

by society. In the end it puts the blame on

Disabled people for being left out,

discriminated against and for being poor.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 25

This model is getting more and more

support in the UK. It was an important idea

used by Atos 1 and is a big part of the Work

Capability Assessment 2 . It is pushed for

more and more by companies that work in

health, employment and public services.

For example the Unum Insurance company

pushes for more use of this model. They

also tried to get this model to be seen as a

good idea by paying for a research centre

at Cardiff University.

1 Atos Healthcare - part of the UK office of the

international company from Paris. Atos carried out the Work Capability Assessment for the DWP from October 2008 until March 2015. Their contract ended before it was meant to because of big worries about how well they were running the assessments.

2 The Work Capability Assessment is the worrying test

that was put together and used by the Department for Work and Pensions. It was used to decide whether people were able to get disability benefits or whether they should be seen as “fit to work”.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 26

2. Problems with the Social Model found by Disabled people

Disabled people are mainly worried about

the problems that this model has in showing

experiences and needs of some groups of

Disabled people. For example some people

have found problems with explaining the

experiences of mental health survivors and

people with long term health conditions.

We agree that the Social Model may not

have been used to explain the experiences

of these groups of people that in many

cases are left out. However, we think that

this is not a problem with the Social Model,

but a problem in the way that it is being

used by the Disabled people’s rights

movement.

We need to get much better at

understanding and taking action on

peoples different experiences, barriers

and needs. We need to make sure that

the Social Model can be used to

understand more things in a better way,

so that it is a tool for all of us.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 27

We need to make sure that it is used in

the best way possible to look at,

understand and help get rid of the barriers

that people with mental health issues

experience. For example we need to use

the Social Model in the way that it has

been used for people with physical

impairments.

We also need to do more to enjoy the

diversity and differences we have as

Disabled people. As well as this we need

to enjoy the culture and community we

now have. Both of these things will help

to plan a different way of understanding

society and people in general.

Inclusion London: The Social Model of Disability 28