(Mencap)
How have people’s attitudes towards people with learning disabilities changed?
-
Pre 18th century - literacy was in less demand than labouring skills, so mild learning disabilities could easily go unnoticed. Children with profound physical disabilities would have been unlikely to survive beyond early infancy. References to village idiots.
- 1834 Poor laws and asylums. An attempt to improve conditions but quickly became overcrowded and attitudes towards the ‘inmates’ changed and they were regarded to be dangerous and a drain on society.
- Segregation continued into the 1900’s. People with intellectual disabilities were seen as needing to be segregated from each other and from society to prevent procreation and degeneration of the human race.
- The NHS was introduced in 1946 along with a new way of thinking. However, those with learning disabilities were regarded as being sick and in need of treatment. Long stay hospitals became the vehicle for segregation.
- In the 1970’s attitudes began to change and learning disabilities were no longer viewed as being a sickness, and that those with a learning disability could be assisted in many ways, in a setting within the community. This was the birth of ‘community care’
- Attitudes appear to be changing. A survey in 2002 for the Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability revealed that 61 percent of those questioned would feel 'comfortable' living next door to a person with a learning disability. Attitudes from younger people were even more positive about inclusion than older respondents i.e. 38 percent of people under 35 believed people with learning disabilities should be able to live in their own homes with support, only 19 percent of those 55 years and over felt the same.
(UnderstandingIndividualNeeds.com, 2010)
How are people with learning disabilities represented in the media?
It is now recognised that the way people are portrayed in the media can have a great influence on public perception and attitude. The government is working towards equality for disabled people by 2025. (officefordisabilityissues, 2009) This includes equal access to information and services, and they have set up a website that aims to advise advertisers and media professionals on how to improve representation of those with disabilities. “Representing disabled people positively is key to effecting change and improving services” (officefordisabilityissues, 2009)
Do events like the Special Olympics reinforce stereotypes and segregation?
The Special Olympics is an international organization and competition held every two years, for people who have . Special Olympics is often the only place where people with learning disabilities have an opportunity to participate in their communities and develop belief in themselves. (SpecialOlympics, 2010) Events are seen as successful in terms of raising the profile of people with disabilities and the rewards of living and working with people with a learning disability. However some sociologists debate whether these events help or hinder the cause of those with learning disabilities, such as Keith Storey from Touro University in the United States. (Williams, 2010) He contends that these events promote the segregation of the disabled from the non-disabled, rather than concentrating on increasing integration within mainstream activities. Storey argues that because children and adults compete together, it runs the risk of infantilising adults with a learning disability. Storey also suggests that society’s response to people with disabilities is largely an emotional one; people admire the ‘bravery’ or ‘determination’ of people with learning disabilities, rather than seeing their talents and abilities as athletes or ‘normal’ people. (Williams, 2010)
Awareness
In a 2008 national poll of 1600 people in Britain, carried out by Mencap:
- 73% could not accurately name a single learning disability
- Only 9% could name three
When Mencap surveyed 103 UK MP’s, asking them to give examples of learning disabilities:
- 74% managed to name one correctly
- 20% could name none
The MP’s were more likely to wrongly identify dyslexia (49%) and Autism (44%) as learning disabilities when they are in fact learning difficulties, rather than Down Syndrome, an actual learning disability. (Williams, 2010)
Which agencies are trying to improve things for people with learning disabilities?
- Mencap
- The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities – Part of the UK charity, The Mental Health Foundation
- BILD – British institute of learning disabilities
How are they doing this?
-
Mencap: Work with people with a learning disability to change laws and services, challenge prejudice and directly support thousands of people to live their lives as they choose. Campaigns such as ‘death by indifference’ - a campaign for equal healthcare for people with a learning disability; ‘living in fear’ – aiming to stop people with a learning disability becoming the victims of hate crime; ‘Learning disability coalition’ – which is calling for the government to put more funding in social care and campaigning against social care cuts; and ‘stay up late’ – a campaign for people with a learning disability to have the right to choose how they live their lives - including staying up late and having fun. (Mencap, Campaigns, 2010)
-
The Foundation for People with Learning Disabilities: Believe it is important that people with learning disabilities can take part in daily life where they live. Past and current projects include ‘Community connecting’ - who work with individuals and the people close to them to find out their strengths, talents and interests. They then link up individuals to opportunities in their area; ‘Life in the Community’ - a three year project to find out how people with higher support needs could be helped to build relationships with their local communities; and ‘deciding together’ – which included gathering good examples of how people with learning disabilities can get involved in decisions about their own lives. (learningdisabilities.org.uk, 2010)
-
BILD: Work to improve the lives of people in the UK with a learning disability by influencing policy-makers and other decision-makers, encouraging good practice among practitioners and helping people with a learning disability take charge of their own lives and become part of an inclusive society. They promote advocacy - a voice for people with learning disabilities, provide training and write policies for advocacy groups. (Bild, 2010)
Future projections
All of the groups and initiatives are geared towards social inclusion for people with learning disabilities. More positive representation in the media and the various agencies campaigns all aim to promote awareness, in the hope that those with learning disabilities, physical disabilities and mental health issues are treated the same as the non-disabled and have equal opportunities in education and employment along with equal access to services.
Bibliography
Barie, A. M., & Yuill, C. (2008). Understanding the Sociology of Health, an Introduction. London: Sage Publications.
Bild. (2010). Advocacy. Retrieved 06 03, 2010, from bild.org.uk: http://www.bild.org.uk/04advocacy.htm
learningdisabilities.org.uk. (2010). community and inclusion - projects. Retrieved 06 03, 2010, from learningdisabilities.org.uk: http://www.learningdisabilities.org.uk/our-work/community-and-inclusion/
Mencap. (2010). Campaigns. Retrieved 0 03, 2010, from Mencap: http://www.mencap.org.uk/landing.asp?id=3
Mencap. (n.d.). Facts about Learning Disability. Retrieved 05 11, 2010, from Mencap: http://www.mencap.org.uk/page.asp?id=1703
Northfield, J. (2004, 01 06). Bild - Factsheet – what is a learning disability? Retrieved 05 04, 2010, from British Institute of Learning Disabilities: http://www.bild.org.uk/pdfs/05faqs/ld.pdf
officefordisabilityissues. (2009, 03 01). Images of disability. Retrieved 06 7, 2010, from www.officefordisability.gov.uk: http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/iod/representation/index.php
SpecialOlympics. (2010). What we do. Retrieved 06 07, 2010, from specialolympics.org: http://www.specialolympics.org/What_We_Do.aspx
UnderstandingIndividualNeeds.com. (2010). Human rights and values - attitudes. Retrieved 05 20, 2010, from UnderstandingIndividualNeeds.com: http://www.understandingindividualneeds.com/page.php?identity=attitudes
Williams, J. (2010, 02). Learning disabilities and inequality. Sociology review , pp. 17-20.