MODELS OF DISABILITY
Turns difference into deficit.
The medical model reflects how difference has historically been understood and
the lens through which people, systems and professionals continue to interpret it.
The medical model
The problem is in the person
Difference is viewed as a problem within the individual. The focus becomes fixing, treating
or managing the person to align with expected
norms. Support is centred around intervention, correction and compliance.
The inclusion model
Designing for difference
This approach recognises difference as a natural
part of human variation. Systems are designed from the outset to be accessible, flexible and inclusive of different ways of functioning. This supports equitable access to opportunity, participation and success.
The social model
The problem is in the surroundings
This model shifts the focus away from the individual.
It recognises that barriers are created through environments, systems and expectations rather
than difference itself. When barriers are reduced,
access and participation become more achievable.
Why the lens matters
Understanding the barriers
Many systems still operate through a medical model lens, where difference is viewed as a deficit, placing responsibility on the individual rather than the environment around them. As a result, the underlying causes of SENDism remain unchanged.
When the system focuses on fixing the person, it deflects from the problem and avoids fixing itself.
CONSIDER THIS:
The invisible bully
What if the system itself is creating the disadvantage. SENDism is not always obvious, but the barriers it creates can become repeated and deeply embedded.
The disrupter
Behaviour responses may reflect environments that are distressing. When difference is misinterpreted, support can become reactive to behaviour rather than appropriate.
Experience is a great teacher
Shared experiences can highlight patterns that systems overlook. They expose where the understanding, policy and practices fail to align consistently.
Understanding how difference is viewed is key to understanding why SENDism continues.