Models of disability
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should understand a number of different models of disability and how you might draw on them when planning your interactions with disabled service users.
Wheelchair symbol
No matter what type of social work team you are in, it is likely that you will work alongside a person who experiences disability. There is a wide range of models that can be drawn on to assist in understanding and planning how to provide best practice.
This resource, written by Alison Cocks, touches very briefly on some of the core models, by grouping them into three families. Individual models focus on the person with an impairment. Social models consider the way society disables a person with an impairment. Interactive models attempt to integrate the complex interactions between an individual and society.
What is provided here is a very brief overview of some of the core models which a practitioner can draw upon. The brevity required means that some models have not been included.
Reflective Questions
- Think about your local town centre - how accessible is it for someone who uses a wheelchair? Think not only about physical access, but also of people's attitudes and the location of core services, such as healthcare, libraries and public transport.
- What do you think might be the challenges facing a child with mild learning disabilities in mainstream education? How might a social worker best support them?
- What issues might arise when safeguarding an adult with learning disabilities who lives on their own?
- Thinking about how disabled people are portrayed in the media, how far do you think attitudes need to change in order to achieve total inclusion?