How Does Locality Affect The Type And Amount Of Support For People With Disability?

Disability is presented all around the world and at all times. The way that a population perceives disability influences the condition of living for people with disability. We are living, but it is essential that everyone understand disability as a social model that we have discussed in class. Cultural differences have an immense effect on how people within societies view people living with disability. The definition of disability differs from a country to another, which makes data very hard to be collected. Persons with disability have a stigma attached on them that vary cross culturally and affect their level of acceptance into the community. For the final paper I have decided to compare disability and employment in two countries: United Kingdom and Brazil.

A. Disability legislation increases the recognition of actively involving individuals with a disability into community based projects and adapting mainstream projects for the involvement of others with a disability. This encourages inclusion for disabled individuals into the community and helps with other factors such as disabled access for wheelchair users and individuals with impaired mobility in the likes of schools and universities as well as local shops and community centres. Encouraging inclusion of disabled individuals into the community “normalizes” disability and encourages a positive

This essay highlights and discusses models of disability reflected in two separate articles (Appendices A and B). I will identify the models of disability they represent. Both have been recently featured in the Guardian newspaper and are stories on disabled people.

The interdependence model of disability states that higher levels of social support for disabled means more opportunities for disabled people to be successful in professional lives and to live healthier, longer lives (Helliwell, 2001). However, the most important aspect of interdependency model lies in the fact that not only disabled people benefit from having higher levels of social support. Communities with higher levels of social support and interdependence are found to be healthier than communities with lower levels of social support (White et al., 2010). The idea of benefits to both disabled

The day to day experiences of individuals with learning disabilities and their families are affected by the policies and legislations in place because it provides rights and entitlements for the individuals and their families. Furthermore, these rights are upheld and protected from discrimination which is very important as it gives them more opportunities. In addition to this, by offering as person-centred care it gives the individual the choice of their care and how they receive it which gives them the freedom of how they would like to live. Moreover, the policies gives the individuals an equal opportunity to access public services, employment and health care which also relates to them being able to live within their community. This is because

The lack of accessibility is crippling for physically disabled people. This often leads to isolation and depression. Many disabled people have to move to big city to have the accommodations they need (special doctors, accommodating transportation, disabled friendly activities, etc.). The cost of living in these cities is so high that on top of therapy

It is crucial that there is a government system that caters for the disabled by providing them with the needed structure to give them an opportunity in life. More so, the fact that the disabled are socially disadvantaged and that the services that entail them are expensive and rare, demands that the leadership, engage the community and the leadership structure in catering for them. As a leader in the Bedford community, I believe I have a role and responsibility towards these disadvantaged persons. The members of the community or the families that have to take care of these disadvantaged persons are usually forced to sacrifice a lot without the help of the government, and I feel there is a needed to cater for them. Also, I will be helping to provide employment

Furthermore, Secretary Steve Turner points out that the real agenda of NDIS is to free the government’s responsibility over people with disability. He states that disability services will not deliver the promise of choice for people, and instead suggested that privatising public services does not provide promising social services as it will decrease accountability from the government; cost more money in the long run and delivery no guarantee of success (Probonoaustralia.com.au, 2013). Moreover, it is also reinforced by Woolf (2013) who argues that although the NDIS has been sold as an historic advance towards ‘individualised support’ through the provision of ‘choice and control ‘ for Australians living in disability, it not considered a effective scheme for everyone. The care is only provided to limited people with significant or profound disability, and thu only 410,000 peoplle out of 4 million people with diability with be served. Kerry, a mother living with children with disability expresses the anxiety of not receiving enough because the children are not ‘disabled enough’ (Woolf, 2013). Furthermore, Additionally, Laura criticises the belief that NDIS will help to normalise life, which she states is also equally hindered by the “planners” who are supposed to work closely with the clients in order to identify the supports that is required to make progress towards the person’s goals. Although it sounds non-intruding, the players are to ensure that the choices the participants makes are reasonable and necessary, hence depicting bureaucratic aspect of the scheme (Woolf,

How does this social construction of disabilities impact institutional policies, and societal and individual behaviors regarding disabilities? In other words, how have people with disabilities been marginalized in the past and present at those three levels? Please be specific and provide examples to support your answers.

Mental and physical disabilities are often not well understood. With lack of understanding comes discrimination against people with disabilities. However a growing trend of awareness from the media, advocate groups and development of legal mechanisms have helped provide justice to these people and continues to improve the situation. 18.5% of Australia’s population (4.2million Australians) has a disability. This is a surprisingly large number, however only about 6% of the population has a severe disability. According to the World Health Organization “Disabilities is an umbrella term, covering impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions.” In the past we have had trouble understanding disabilities, particularly mental ones, causing a lot of discrimination and stigma against people. Education and the workplace are areas in which legal mechanisms have proven to be effective when providing justice for people with disabilities. Although an area which is still improving is law enforcement surrounding people with mental illness.

All they want is to take part of society as a normal individual. The disability-movement has fought for the disabilities rights throughout the years and has achieved goals such as accommodation of architectural infrastructures to serve better people who are physical impairments. The public policies have been great accomplishments because it has helped people with disabilities to be part of society. The disability-movement points out the healthcare finance policies have taken freedom away from the disability community, “ Health-care financing policies force disabled people into Institutions and nursing homes rather than funding independent living. Income-maintenance and public health-insurance policies include “disincentives” that penalize disabled individuals for trying to work productively.”(p.4). The government has done a great job on protecting disabled individuals’ rights. However, the health-care system has isolated this group even more by restricting the level of productivity that they have within the system, as a result this medical model marginalizes this group of people and this program available for this community does not fully address their issues.

Disability in Australia has progressively become a more recognised social issue in todays contemporary society. The perception and ideas of disability has transitioned from one of institutionalisation to one of extensive support, which has lead to the development of many disability policies within Australia that aims to holistically meet the needs of disabled individuals. The development of three central disability policies, The National Disability Insurance scheme, National Disability Strategy 2010-2020 and the National Disability Agreement 2012 has altered the services available to disabled citizens, how supports are implemented, the wellbeing of disabled individuals and societal attitudes towards disability. The policy area conns

Prior to the course, Perspectives on disability, my understanding of disability was a fundamental, concept of disability, in which I knew it existed, and also have seen and interacted with people considered to have a disability. I never took a deep look at all the social and political factors that exist within the spectrum of disability. This course has allowed me to examine all aspects of disability, which has changed my view and approach of what a disability is and how it is viewed. "Historically, disability has been viewed fundamentally as a persoal tragedy, which has resulted in diasbled people being seen as objects of pity or in need of charity. They have been subject to descriminatory policies and practices in which the predominant images of passivity and helplesness reinforced their inferior status"(Barton 4). Uncovering the framework of disability, by studying the historical, soicial political and educational standpoint, I see the intricacies in which gives me a greater understanding and awareness of the topic.

Over the years, perceptions towards disability have been significantly changing as result of the long pathway the disable community has taken fighting for Civil Rights, inclusion and against discrimination. Unfortunately, this last one has not been totally accomplished yet. Barriers to social integration still exist in the society. Perhaps the greatest barrier is not the disability itself; is the attitude of people.

Most people with disabilities in Zimbabwe engage in some kind of self-help projects that generate very little income which is estimated at around $10 per month in average and is too little to sustain even the most basic requirements. This means that the majority of people with disabilities live in absolute poverty in econometric terms and is in line with Yeo’s (2005) claim that disability and poverty are inextricably linked. However, what is encouraging to note is the fact that, most people with disabilities exercise their agency by choosing the type of income generating activities and this is usually what they consider manageable in light of their disability. The way people with disabilities choose their income generating activities is in line with notions expressed by Mersland (2005) who posits that people with disabilities engage in self –help projects due to the need for flexibility according to their impairments and the need to deal with exclusion in the economic sector.