Social Work, Othering and Disability
DISABILITY: ENQUIRY TWO ASSESSMENT
People who experience a disability are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups within our society. This essay will explain what disability is and what it means to have a disability. Disability can often be seen as a form of social deviance, and so, because of this, the disability community can be othered and excluded within mainstream society. This essay will give examples of how othering occurs and how othering could be avoided, when working as a social worker with people with disabilities. Social workers have an extremely important role in the lives of people with a disability. Social workers are often a person with a disability’s voice and advocate and they need to set an example for the rest of the community and its members so that people with a disability are treated with respect, dignity and worth.
Having a disability can be defined as a person that experiences physical and intellectual, weaknesses and vulnerabilities, the World Health Organization (2012), defines a disability as
“An umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations”.
Disability is seen world wide throughout many cultures and treated very differently. Within Australia 2-3% of the population have an intellectual disability, which is more than 100,000 people in Victoria (CDDH, 2008). Within Australia, people with disabilities receive a range of services and different types of funding and payments depending on their disability. People with disabilities are slowly becoming more accepted and tolerated within Australian society, however, at the same time, they are generally an oppressed group who are socially excluded. Stainton,
People who experience a disability are some of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups within our society. This essay will explain what disability is and what it means to have a disability. Disability can often be seen as a form of social deviance, and so, because of this, the disability community can be othered and excluded within mainstream society. This essay will give examples of how othering occurs and how othering could be avoided, when working as a social worker with people with disabilities. Social workers have an extremely important role in the lives of people with a disability. Social workers are often a person with a disability’s voice and advocate and they need to set an example for the rest of the community and its members so that people with a disability are treated with respect, dignity and worth.
Having a disability can be defined as a person that experiences physical and intellectual, weaknesses and vulnerabilities, the World Health Organization (2012), defines a disability as
“An umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions. An impairment is a problem in body function or structure; an activity limitation is a difficulty encountered by an individual in executing a task or action; while a participation restriction is a problem experienced by an individual in involvement in life situations”.
Disability is seen world wide throughout many cultures and treated very differently. Within Australia 2-3% of the population have an intellectual disability, which is more than 100,000 people in Victoria (CDDH, 2008). Within Australia, people with disabilities receive a range of services and different types of funding and payments depending on their disability. People with disabilities are slowly becoming more accepted and tolerated within Australian society, however, at the same time, they are generally an oppressed group who are socially excluded. Stainton,
References: Stainton, T, Chenoweth, L & Bigby, C. (2010). Social Work and Disability: An Uneasy Relationship. Australian Social Work, Volume 63, Issue 1, pages 1-3 Ellem, K & Wilson, J. (2010). Special Issue: On Social Work 's Contribution to Disability Policy and Practice Around the World. Life Story Work and Social Work Practice: A Case Study With Ex-Prisoners Labelled as Having an Intellectual Disability. Australian Social Work, Volume 63, 1, 67-82 CDDH. (2008). Centre for Developmental Disability Health Victoria: Working with people with intellectual disabilities in healthcare settings. Viewed on 5/9/2012, retrieved from: http://www.cddh.monash.org/assets/documents/working-with-people-with-intellectual-disabilities-in-health-care.pdf Canales, K. (2010). Othering: Difference Understood?: A 10-Year Analysis and Critique of the Nursing Literature. Advances in Nursing Science. Volume 33(1), p 15–34. | | Haller, B, Dorries, B & Rahn, J. (2006). Media labeling versus the US disability community identity: a study of shifting cultural language. Disability & Society, V21, 1, 61-75. Logan, B & Chung, D (2001). Current social work practice in the fields of mental illness and intellectual disability: Changing service approaches to people with a disability?, Australian Social Work, 54:3, 31-42 WHO. (2012). Disabilities. Viewed on 5/9/2012. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/topics/disabilities/en/