8: Disability politics and social care

Overview & Synopsis

In recent decades, debates about the nature of disability have influenced not only disability studies and disability services, but also care research and policy more generally. This chapter introduces some of the key approaches that have changed the way disability is understood: the deinstitutionalization movement, the Independent Living movement, personal assistance and the disability rights debate—the latter culminating in the creation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. These new approaches to disability have had a major impact on the way in which all people in need of social care are perceived and the types of policies and service models that are seen as appropriate to meet their needs. In particular, they have had a major impact on ageing in place, the focus on user involvement and personalization, and the strengthening of the human rights approach in social care.