To feel the ‘social model of disability’ is being used against me?

[Ungratefulorwhat]

Short version:
In education and work the words ‘social model of disability is trotted out at me a lot.
I’m being told that because adjustments (quite often the wrong ones) have been made, I’m “no longer disabled by impairment.” And “adjustments have already been made for you.”
So, I’m now not struggling because I’m disabled, just not good enough because I’m ‘impaired’ and that isn’t covered by the DDA?

With PIP and ESA I’m being told that as I’ve been awarded disability aids and a carer “Obviously the effects of your disabilities are now considerably reduced.” This seems to be relying on the same ‘social model.’
Absolutely they’re reduced, from unable to do everything, to unable to do quite enough to please anyone.

Is this a flaw in the ‘social model,’ it being abused, or something else?

Longer version:
I don’t mean to sound ungrateful; I know I’m lucky to get anything.

I’m grateful to have a wheelchair, it gives me mobility, but as soon as my shoulders, elbows, wrists, or hands give out, it no longer does.
DWP says it means I can travel on public transport, but even in good condition I can’t get myself to (or from) that transport because of where I live. That is discounted because “someone could take you and collect you.” The carer can’t, and there’s no one else to.

The pain in my pelvis, sciatica, and tight swollen legs, from being stuck in it for between 12 and 16 hours all day every day, is considered something that shouldn’t interfere with my capability. (it does)

Carer has 30 min slots including a lot on their paperwork, their need for conversation, and can’t attend at times that would support work or education, or do more than absolute minimum. (I don’t mean to be ungrateful)

My workstation (which has specialist equipment on – not disability related) can have two disability adjustments applied. One causes injury and difficulty to my arms and shoulders, the other means I can’t fit under it, working bent across myself to reach it, causes injury and pain to my back and pelvis. TBF their answer is to say I shouldn’t use workstation and must instruct another person rather than doing the work myself. But, I’m not good at that and IMO it makes me less employable if another person is needed for me to be able to work, but according to their ‘social model’ my problems are overcome, not their fault I’m not good at instructing others in doing my role for me. (The adjustment I want would be the right height workstation and able to do my own work, but 'adjustments have already been made.')

I could go on and on with examples, but wonder if others recognize this sort of situation, and get told it's all 'social model' led, or AIBU?

I agree with you. If, for example, you are unable to feed yourself and have a carer to feed you, it doesn’t reduce your disability- you are still unable to feed yourself.

The other thing the social model always skims over is the chronic pain and fatigue many disabled people experience. Yes, if you put a ramp in I can get the wheelchair up to the door but don’t tell me im now no longer disabled- im still dealing with the agony and exhaustion using the ramp causes… access is not suddenly equal for me and an able bodied person.

I mean it seems obvious to me that if you can’t work at the desk then sufficient adjustments have not been made. Clearly a different specialist desk is required.

Is this a large company with an HR / occ health department that should know better?

From both a professional and personal capacity (through my son), yes yes yes, absolutely agree. It's just word gymnastics.

EnaSharplesStout here you'd be told your disability had been removed by the ramp and the rest was caused by your impairment!

Shortpoet no HR or OC dept, but same issue in education.

roughtyping word gymnastics Brilliantly put!

I think it's one of those things where a good theoretical model is butchered by underfunding and poor systems.

Also, giving you wrong / poorly fitting accommodations is a good example of how social factors contribute to disability. Ie, crappy support systems = less capacity to work.

You can use the mobility portion of pip for an electric wheelchair, this would increase your mobility a lot surely? Specialist desk equipment including an adjustable height desk should be available through access to work grants. I get what you are saying but what do you think would help, perhaps we can signpost you to orgs that could help with equipment or support. It's fine to just have a moan though, you are most welcome... frustrating doesn't seem a strong enough word when dealing with pip etc

It doesn’t sound to me as though the social model itself is the problem, it’s your workplace’s disregard for your needs, which they seem to consider a tick box exercise.
If they applied the social model correctly they would be removing barriers, not just swapping them for different ones! They should be asking you what you need and providing it.

The social model of disability is meant to be about changing the environment and removing barriers so that you can live as independently as possible. It's a lot better than the medical model. The trouble is that the system likes to gaslight people because there isn't enough money spent on social care and other adaptations for disabled people.

It's the same as when people are assessed and told their needs aren't great and they can manage without support, when they really can't. It's gaslighting and denial to cover up for the fact there are no resources

It does get to a point where your disability can no longer be catered for by society (social model) to support you to live the life you want to lead. If work have made every adjustment under the sun to accommodate you and you are doing all you can to stay in the job and still it isn't possible difficult conversations may need to be had. If there are still adjustments that can be made but work aren't making them then it's time to speak to ACAS

Being disabled is shit.

But the ultimate aim of the social model would be the cater and accommodate for the pain and fatigue. Rest breaks, reduced hours, seats at appropriate intervals and in sufficient numbers etc

Gogohmm
You can use the mobility portion of pip for an electric wheelchair, this would increase your mobility a lot surely? I’m already using all of it for getting to work and education, and topping it up as best I can. It cant do both. I’m not yet entitled to an electric chair through NHS, though will be when enough permanent damage has occurred. (on track for aprox. 20 months)
The desk was provided as disability to work equipment. TBH it’s easy to replace the legs – I could actually get it done myself, but it’s a no. I did talk about access to work stuff, it was made clear it wouldn’t be a good idea. (as in 'you might find you wouldn't be here long enough!')

TBH not seeking to moan so much as understand this “we are guided by the social model" stuff and wondering how something that on the surface looks good, seems to be causing me problems, and thinking about how similer it is to the PIP, ESA issues.

Daftnotstupid It isn't about the life I want to live, though I do want to work, it's about there is a requirement for me to work, very few things I'm employable in, and then having put myself into education and actually found something, I'm being proven incapable without much of a chance, but being told I am being given that chance.

Similar is happening in education, (I went into to make myself more employable) and at the careers fair, the handful of appropriate stalls I approached, had to be made to give me information, and four (out of six) suggested I could do occasional voluntary work instead. (Am happy to volunteer to show capability, but need to earn a living)

That's when you use the DDA to your advantage and go via access to work and ACAS to get the structure in place to facilitate you to work.

If you truly cannot work under any circumstances then you can be signed off and there are claimable benefits to support with this.

Thank you. DWP definitely believe I can work, I believe I could given a fair crack. Will try talking to Acas about this business of your 'disability isn't the issue, we have addressed that, it is your impairments that are the problem..

See what you are saying

So what would be YOUR solution in those scenarios? What's needed,apart from the change of language used?

MayBeeJuneSoon
Not treating things as a tick box exercise. Not hiding behind 'meeting models of disability.'

Not looking for short term theoretical solutions ie you can instruct someone else to do your job - IMO not sustainable or likely to lead to continued employment.

Not expecting me to have a different skill set (ie instructing others) rather than what I was taken on for.

Direct payment for carer employed to meet needs, rather than tick boxes, instead of using scalping middle man agencies (not approved)

Looking sensibly at how easy changing the legs on workstation would be, instead of hiding behind 'there's already been an adjustment made.'

Recognizing that I know how to reduce worst effects on myself, instead of insisting they know what will and wont work for me.

Off the top of my head.

Have you any experience of trying to actually put this in place? You made it sound so easy.

I'm 10 yrs in to my journey of being disabled and working full time. The employer I was with for 7 years and promoted multiple times made me 'redundant' after I asked for a lighter laptop they would only issue to homeworkers as an adjustment.

Then another employer called me a dalek for not being able to manage stairs and made me redundant a few months later.

Then I stupidly asked for a fan at another job, because the heat was interfering with my medication - stick on pain relief patches. I was getting too hot and overdosing. Which could have been fatal. They refused to provide a fan, refused to let me use one I bought myself and refused to do anything about the temperature. Then made me redundant.

I've just asked my current employer if I can park in the directors only car park because I cannot cope any more with the alternative on street parking arrangements for the rest of the staff. They've so far said that it won't solve my problems (without asking me anything about why I think it will) and they are taking legal advice. If they wanted to say yes and let me use the car park, they don't need legal advice for it. I'm expecting to loose my job again over this now too.

Reasonable adjustments are a legal requirement but no one polices it. So many employers behave so badly that the only way for me to succeed is to try and blend in and ask for as little as possible.

That's not really a solution it's still a complaint.

Unpicking it you want to do your job not instruct a support worker to do it for you. In which case can you work with an employment specialist - there are some attached to charities for various disabilities as well as the DWP - have a frank conversation about the type of work you can do

Have you any experience of trying to actually put this in place? You made it sound so easy.

Yes.

That's not a solution it's a list of 'don't wants'

@Ungratefulorwhat

"Recognizing that I know how to reduce worst effects on myself, instead of insisting they know what will and wont work for me."

This. We know what works and doesn't because it is our bodies and disabilities that we live with. Other people come along and think they have solved the problem with their own solutions, then they get frustrated and angry because nothing they do is right. They need to listen and work with us. We already know what we need.

The Equality Act protects you from disability discrimination because you have an impairment:

(1) A person (P) has a disability if—

(a) P has a physical or mental impairment, and

(b) the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on P's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2010/15/contents

Part of that protection is that your employer is obliged to take such steps as it is reasonable to have to take to avoid the disadvantage you face compared with a person with no disability.

Part of what your employer must consider when deciding whether an adjustment is reasonable is how effective the change will be in avoiding the disadvantage you would otherwise experience.

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/multipage-guide/what-meant-reasonable

They can't just chuck random adjustments at the situation and hope for the best, especially as you have yourself identified an adjustment that would help.

Here's an example of an employer who enthusiastically made some 'reasonable' adjustments for a disabled employee but failed to consult her and implemented the changes so badly that the employment appeal tribunal said their actions constituted unlawful harassment on disability grounds:

https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKEAT/2017/0093_17_0911.html

Is there a reason why a workstation at a suitable height for you would not work? (you mentioned it had specialist equipment on it)

Have you had an occupational health assessment and is your employer following their recommendations?

Are you in a union?

MayBeeJuneSoon
That's not a solution it's a list of 'don't wants'
OK, I thought it was a list of possible solutions as each
of those things would change the position for both sides, but I can see I just appear to be whinging.