Social Model of Disability

The UNCRPD and the GDA consider disability through the Social Model of disability but what does this mean?

SCOPE has a great page on the Social Model which explains that the social model of disability is a way of viewing the world, developed by disabled people which says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical, like buildings not having accessible toilets. Or they can be caused by people’s attitudes to difference, like assuming disabled people can’t do certain things.

The social model helps us recognise barriers that make life harder for disabled people. Removing these barriers creates equality and offers disabled people more independence, choice and control.