Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. SOCIAL WORK IN CANADA An Introduction Third Edition - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Chapter 15: Social Work with Persons with Disabilities Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Who Are People with Disabilities? History and Services for People with Disabilities Approaches to Disability: The Medical & Social Models The Independent Living Movement The Stigma of Disability Income Security Programs Disability and Social Work Practice Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Who Are People with Disabilities? Disability Persons with disabilities are those who reported difficulties with daily living activities or who indicated that a physical or mental condition or health problem reduced the type or amount of activities they could do. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Who Are People with Disabilities? It is estimated that 4.4 million Canadians have a disability Approximately one out of every seven people in Canada has a disability There are approximately 600 million people worldwide with disabilities Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Who Are People with Disabilities? Children with Disabilities Over 200,000 children reported having a disability Chronic health conditions, developmental delays, learning disabilities Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Who Are People with Disabilities? Adults with Disabilities Over 631,000 adults reported having a disability Pain, mobility, and agility were most common Also include impaired hearing, vision, speech Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. History of Services No universal support care programs for people with disabilities were established at Confederation (and none exist in Canada to this day) Outdoor relief (begging) was a common form of assistance The Poor Laws gave persons with disabilities the license to beg Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. History of Services Institutionalization (mid-19th century) Outdoor relief came to be seen as a mechanism that created dependency Asylums, poor houses, and houses of industry replaced the former methods of outdoor relief Persons with disabilities were to be removed from society, isolated, and placed in segregated institutions Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. History of Services Rehabilitation Services (post-WWII) Establishment of the “welfare state” Disability benefits were established for a wide spectrum of people with disabilities Onset of the multidisciplinary rehabilitation team Establishment of special schools, training programs, sheltered workshops, summer camps, and recreational programs Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Approaches to Disability Medical Model Views disability as an unfortunate life event where some form of professional or medical assistance is required. Involves the following assumptions: An individual or family member moves sequentially through coping stages There is one path through the sequence An individual can be placed clearly in one stage or another There is an optional length of time for staying in each stage Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Approaches to Disability Political Rights Model Primarily concerned with broader social and political change, contending that a comprehensive understanding of disability can only occur through examination of the social and political inequality that exists between disabled people and people without disabilities. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Independent Living Movement (ILM) Encourages and helps persons with disabilities achieve self-direction over the personal and community services needed to attain their own independent living. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Independent Living Movement (ILM) Three major events in 1981 central to development of the ILM in Canada: The United Nations declaration of the International Year of Disabled Persons The Canadian government’s release of its Obstacles report concerning disability The personal contribution of one of its founding members to the independent living philosophy Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Stigma of Disability There are various types of prejudice towards people with disabilities: Disabled people are undesirable and unlovable People with disabilities should always be grieving People with disabilities are psychologically damaged Person deserved disability because of sinful activity Being around disabled people is uncomfortable Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

The Stigma of Disability Ableism Discrimination and prejudice based on physical and mental ability towards people with disabilities supporting the belief that people without disabilities are superior to people with disabilities. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Income Security Programs Publicly funded disability programs Covered by federal, provincial, and municipal legislation and funded through government taxation. These programs include the Canada Pension Plan Disability Pension, the Family Benefits plan, and the General Welfare Assistance plan. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Income Security Programs Privately funded disability programs Include programs that are provided through private insurance plans or through long-term disability plans as part of job benefits. These private income security programs are based on the amount of funding that the recipient has contributed directly to the plan, or funding that has been contributed to a plan on behalf of the recipient. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Income Security Programs Gaining Access to Services Eligibility determination by physician Investigation of assets Needs test Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Income Security Programs Canada Pension Plan Eligibility based on the following criteria: A physician must determine eligibility Benefits are granted only to individuals who have either contributed during two of the last three years or five of the last ten years Pension benefits consist of a flat rate plus earnings equal to 75% of the normal retirement pension entitlement Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Disability and Social Work Practice Family Systems Theory Families operate as social systems or interrelated networks in which an impact on one component has significant consequences for all others in the system. Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Disability and Social Work Practice There are some basic guidelines for working with families of newly disabled persons: Emotional coping and functioning skills Family’s post-trauma functioning Person’s status within the family Stage in the life cycle of the family Understanding the nature and extent of the disability Importance of facilitating access to resources Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc. Websites Human Resources and Social Development Canada www.hrsdc.gc.ca Council of Canadians with Disabilities www.ccdonline.ca Disabled Women’s Network Ontario http://dawn.thot.net/ Canadian Association for Community Living www.cacl.ca MOUTH magazine www.mouthmag.com Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion Think about a situation where you witnessed or experienced ableism. What are some ways that you could address ableism in that context from a political rights model perspective? Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion How are disability benefits provided? What are some challenges for people with disabilities in accessing social and income security programs? Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion Name three disabilities that you would define as “visible.” Name three disabilities that you would define as “invisible.” What are the implications of any differences you find between the two? Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion How might your understanding of disability intersect with a client’s perspective on disability? What might that intersection look like if the client’s country of origin is different from yours? Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.

Questions for Discussion What are some of the societal implications of the high proportion of children with chronic health conditions? Chapter 15: Social Work With Persons With Disabilities Social Work In Canada Copyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.