Introduction to Physical Disability

Know the importance of a 'person centred' approach when working with individuals with a physical disability.

Additional details

A person centred approach respects the individual's wishes and preferences when agreeing an appropriate care plan and when providing on-going care and support.

Talking with the invididual, sharing ideas, listening to their views, involving them in discussions with other professionals are all elements to a person centred approach.

Person-centred practice empowers the individual with a disability, so that they can prioritise those aspects of care and support that are most important to them and ensure that the support is provided to them in a way that meets their needs and preferences.

Examples of specific practice might include providing a frame for an individual in response to their expressed wish to stand sometimes rather than spend all their time in a wheelchair, asking an individual for their opinions on a planned change in support, asking an individual who they would like to involve in a review of the support they have been receiving.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Outline why it is important to recognise and value an individual with a physical disability as a person first.

• 1.2

  Give examples of how to use a person centred approach when working with individuals with a physical disability.

Know the main causes of physical disability.

Additional details

There are a wide range of causes. These can usually be classified into 3 groups: congenital; progressive and acquired. Learners should be aware of different causes across these 3 groups.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Give examples of conditions that cause physical disability.

Know how the challenges of living with a physical disability can be addressed.

Additional details

Factors that may have a disabling effect on an individual include physical and environmental factors and those relating to culture and beliefs. Learners should be aware of factors across these groups.

Learners could consider where they might come across discriminatory attitudes, what that discrimination might look or sound like and how best to tackle it.They could choose to focus on a particular setting relevant to their learning (e.g. how to respond to a misinformed comment from a child).

Aspects of day-to-day life could include work; education, housing, friendships and relationships, access to leisure and health. Learners could consider effects across a number of these areas (e.g. facing physical barriers to accessing a particular facility).

Individuals can be in control of their care needs by:

• being involved in decision making
• making suggestions 
• adapting their environment to meet their own specific needs

Ways to promote the inclusion of individuals with physical disability could include the use of positive role models, the inclusion of images in the media of disabled people contributing to society.

The examples given above are a sample. The tutor and learner may identify other examples that are not mentioned here but which are equally valid.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Identify factors that have a disabling effect on an individual.

• 3.2

  Give examples of how to challenge discriminatory attitudes.

• 3.3

  Outline the effects that having a physical disability can have on an individual’s day to day life.

• 3.4

  Give examples of how individuals can be in control of their care needs.

• 3.5

  Outline the importance of promoting independence for individuals with physical disability.

• 3.6

  Give examples of ways to promote the inclusion of individuals with physical disability in society.