Social Model of Disability

The Social Model of Disability is a model defined by disabled people themselves.

It explains that people may have physical and/or sensory impairments, a learning disability, longer term health conditions and may use mental health services but this factor in itself does not disable them.

Disability is caused by the cultural, structural, environmental and organisational barriers that systematically exclude disabled people from the full participation in the economic, social and political lives of our community.

The barriers that disabled people encounter include inaccessible education systems, working environments, indadequate financial support, inaccessible transport, houses and public buildings and amenities. Disabled people are also often devalued through negative or stereotypical images in the media - television, newspaper and film.

The social model does not ignore questions and concerns related to the body and or mind and or the importance of access to medical and therapeutic treatments or support. A social model perspective would acknowledge that often suffering comes about due primarily to the scarcity of medical and other services.

Lancashire Centre for Independent Living contributes towards the removal of barriers by offering information, advice and peer support to people using direct payments or self directed support to enable them to live independently in the community.

It understands because it is led by Disabled people who self direct their own support and use direct payments.