At our last away day the Merton CIL team (staff and trustees) agreed on a definition of the Social Model of Disability:
My impairment/health condition does not make me disabled, societies barriers do.
You can listen to what the social model means to Sarah (recently promoted from Caseworker to our Policy and Campaigns Assistant) below:
Social Model Language
Social Model language rejects negative or medical language and replaces it with more positive language that sees us as human beings.
| We should use | We should not use |
| Disabled people | People with disabilities |
| Impairments and Health Conditions | Disabilities |
| Non-disabled | Able-bodied |
| Access needs | Special needs |
| Wheelchair user | Wheelchair bound |
| Experiencing | Suffering |