Disability and Social Inclusion in the United Kingdom - Assignment Example

Disability and social inclusion Name: Number: Course: Lecturer: Date: Abstract This report addresses ways in which persons with disabilities are secluded in the community and the society in general. The report first of all attempts to give sufficient evidence of the existence of social inclusion segregation for persons with disabilities in the community. The report then goes ahead to evaluate the policies and major steps taken to address this kind of inequality within the society. The mitigation policies will base on the social disability model as applied mostly in the United Kingdom disability movement. The paper will also give some recommendations and conclusions towards the end. Introduction Social inclusion simply means the power of being able to take part fully in the life of the community or society that one exists in hence the prevention to take part fully in the community is referred to as social exclusion. Persons with disabilities encounter many limitations towards their optimum participation, hence are most likely to be subjected to risks of exclusion socially on different occasions. Howard, 1999 states that of all the less privileged groups in the community, the disabled persons are the mostly socially discriminated. During the early times of 1970, many modes to curb social exclusion within the society faced cute resistance as many termed it as a disease that required medical attention[Dep99]. Disability is hence perceived as a result of societal, social and attitudinal limitations that prevent persons from taking part in the community. It is hence important that these societal norms are changed to accommodate the requirements of the disabled persons so as to allow them take part in activities such as leisure and employment together with education with other members of the society. Evidence of the existence of disability and social exclusion within the community The exclusion of disabled people Over the past few years there indeed has been consistent cultural and social bias against those persons with disabilities. However, its is from the economic and social transitions within the 19th century with its stress on performance economically that this kind fs discrimination seemed extreme. During the 19th century mast state policies were exclusionary in particular perspective that saw the subsequent strapping out of the disabled persons from the economic mainstream and social lives via institutional and segregated education (Oliver and Barnes, 1998, p.35). This drift to services that were community based began in the 60s despite the fact that they were evident in a professionally dominant need based level which was however still exclusionary in target services provision. (Oliver and Barnes, 1998, p.49) reveal that the struggle towards what is termed as more inclusive practice has however not been evident in the disabled persons inclusion. Results from statistical analyses on the OPCS data reveal substantially the level of disabled person’s continuous social and economic exclusion. Simple cases include the fact that they are in any case four or three times mostly unemployed from the evidence of labour force discrimination (Oppenheim and Harker, 1996, p. 58). If we also base on the OPCS data a bigger percentage of adults with disabilities are more reliant on social security benefits as their main survival source (Oliver and Barnes, 1998, p.44). one disabled writer wrote that it is very open that every participation signal in the life mainstream disabled persons emerge extremely negatively an example is on employment statistics, access to public facilities together with leisure facilities (Finkelstein, 1993, p.11). Disability and Earnings Major disparities in earnings outcomes among those that have disabilities and those that do not have has resulted due to several sources and in modes that have multiple effects on the nature of appropriate response. Disability nature could well lower the productive capacity of a person in comparison with those that have equal qualifications without disabilities. This has over time been reflected in their salary earnings. This is proved by those individuals with disparities but whom their income does not depend on education or experiences but participated in real actions of productivity. There is also exclusion is such a mode that even in cases where differences in productive power is not witnessed individuals with disabilities have in many cases been given less remunerations as opposed to similar people without disabilities[Cor99]. This has also been evident in cases where there indeed exist a difference in productive power but where the effect is not substantial enough to justify a difference in their salaries. Stern 1996, reveals that within the United States bearing a job restricting condition is attributed to lower pay that it would be in other cases. Mitchell and Burkhauser (1990) reveal that specific individuals that have disabilities resulting from arthritis received reduced salaries. The impacts on the salary scales exist due to promotion protocols being lowered for those that experience disabilities. Moreover many persons that are currently employed with disabilities were a long the way hindered by their disabilities in attainment of their expected education levels that resulted to them having to live with low wages as employees in several workplaces. Disability effects might also have affected the labour force history of persons with disabilities such that they might have hence drawn less experience or rather less valuable job experiences as compared to others. Disability and education The biggest area where disability has shown effects on the results is the participation in the labor force, poverty and earnings. If in any case there exist barriers to persons with disabilities achieving their desired level of education, given the mode in which the educational system and its wide societal context has been devised, then it is crucial that this is showcased, well understood and addressed subsequently. The existing relationship between educational achievements and disability is quite tough. The most common way channel of effect is the co-relation between disability existing from birth or early stages of childhood, the kids involvement in education and the kind of educational qualifications that they get. Within the society the influences of these results have varied from both the kind of disability and the subsequent educational system effectiveness in the child with disability support. Persons with less educational qualifications have in most cases been involved in common tasks such as manual work or being subjected to various task bound hazards that directly raise their vulnerability of coming across accidents of injuries in the process of conducting their duties. This often leads to them vacating job places quite earlier from invalidities and their probability of getting disabilities is also raised[Wil97]. The society has also had those persons with disabilities and lower educational levels likely to be rated towards the bottom line of various socio-economic hierarchies which strongly increases the chances of worsening their impairment. Past studies have suggested that most social participation signals are affected by one having a severe or chronic disability or illness. Disability has not only affected incomes and community participation within the labor force but then it has also impacted on the wider aspects of life’s participation within the society participation. To begin with is the issue of entertainment and leisure most disabled are known not to be members of any entertainment clubs or organization if they often communicate with those they live within with or go out to family functions and most of all taking part in elections. Most people with disabilities have a few of the adult persons being members of some organization or club leaving a bigger percentage not being able to cater for the expenses of being afraid of the discrimination they would receive. The policies and major steps taken to address disability and social inclusion within the society POLICIES NATIONAL DISABILITY AUTHORITY The National Disability Authority which was established in the year 2000 as a rather independent statutory organ that operates under the aegis justice department law and equality reforms was and important landmark towards addressing the issues of the disabled and social exclusion within the community. The main functions of the national disability authority as spelt out in the National Disability Authority Act of 1999 are mainly to first give advice on policy together with practice issues that relate to disability, help in the development and coordination of policies that relate to persons with disabilities, undertake, collaborate or commission research issues that deal with disability, help in the statistical data for planning development, monitoring and dispensing services to persons with disabilities, give advise on services and programs standards for persons with disabilities and lastly implement and track standards and codes of practice for services to persons with disabilities. The national disability authority is based in Ireland and is hence committed to creation of a uniform inclusive environment to the entire population where persons with disabilities bear equal opportunities and rights to take part in the social lives of the nation. THE EQUALITY AUTHORITY This policy was established in the year of 1999 with a broad duty to promote equal opportunities and address discrimination in areas that were covered by the employment equality acts of 2004 and 1998 which prohibited discrimination in workplaces. The acts prohibit discrimination in service provision. The acts see to it that no one is discriminated by association, victimization or sexual harassment. The two acts give room for positive actions and need reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities though subject to certain exemptions. The grounds that are covered by the two acts include disabilities, age, sexual orientation, gender, race, marital status, person membership, religion and family status. The disability ground is defined extensively to factor in persons with emotional or cognitive disabilities, physical disabilities, learning and intellectual disabilities and various medical complications. National and European policies The council in its 1996 December resolution on equal opportunities for all persons with disabilities did invite members to adopt various measures for empowering disabled persons for society participation while having regard to the interests and needs of their families. Constitutional provisions All European Union members with the exception of one do have ordinary and constitutional laws regarding the rights to equality and prohibiting of discrimination. Despite the fact that the European Union does not have a written constitution its unwritten constitution has no place for discrimination (European Commission, 1999). Anti-discrimination provisions Anti-discrimination laws The Amsterdam Treaty of second October the year 1999, factored in Article 13 into the Rome treaty extending to a large extend the scope of community law. The inserted article now provides communities with direct powers to undertake actions to fight against all natures of discrimination. The European Council 2000/78.EC directive in the year 2000 that established a comprehensive basis for equal employment and treatment did impact a lot in the fight against discrimination. The directive did prohibit direct or indirect discrimination based on among other things disability. The directive mainly focused at having persons with disabilities enjoy equal chances to achieve better results. The directive states within it that while focusing at making sure that there is equality in practice, the equal treatment principle will not sideline any state member from adopting or maintaining particular measures to avert or compensate for less privileged religions or beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age[Gey99]. Appropriate measures have also been put in place in countries such as Denmark and Ireland that enhance the access of disabled persons to leisure, cultural events and tourism. The Danish policies have a cultural policy mechanism to make sure that persons with disabilities have equal access to cultural life as the other citizens in both audience and active participation. In March of 1997 the Danish cultural ministry did publish a report on access of persons with disabilities to cultural events that factor in various recommendations within its plan of action. One important issue in the plan was that all facilities that accommodate cultural places in them were accessible to people with disabilities. The plan also contained some informational initiatives to enhance disabled persons participation in cultural activities. Integration into the open labor market The EU has acted a bigger role in the advancements of training and employment frameworks to favor persons with disabilities. The HELLOS programme together with the employment initiative and at the moment EQUAL have enhanced employment and training creation to persons with disabilities. The comprehensive best practices exchanges between several states have led to some policy harmonization. Australia has even gone a step further by facilitating an environment friendly to the disabled. Participation in decision making The social partners Some time in 1999 the social partners did adopt an employment declaration regarding to persons with disabilities. Some bodies such as CCEP and UNICE noted that people discriminated basing on factors that were not relevant to jobs was not acceptable socially and not appropriate to the economy. The declaration factors in it several statements about equal job chances for disabled persons. The social partners also in 2003 adopted a newer declaration that promoted equal and fair opportunities and equal access to employment for disabled persons[Soc97]. References Dep99: , (Security 1999), Cor99: , (Corrigan 1999), Wil97: , (Wilson 1997), Gey99: , (Geyer 1999), Soc97: , (Unit 1997), Read More