Social Work Theories and Skills: Disability Rights Perspectives

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of social work practices in the context of disability rights. It examines the evolution of social work, highlighting its adaptation to the needs of people with disabilities (PWD). The essay delves into various theoretical perspectives, including radical, structural, and social constructivism, to understand their implications for social work. It analyzes how social workers can empower PWDs, considering the impact of social, economic, and political issues. The discussion includes the importance of critical social theory, social constructionism, and the application of Foucault's perspective. The essay also explores the roles of disability rights communities, the challenges faced by social workers, and the significance of radical social work in advocating for social justice and human rights. The essay emphasizes the need for inclusive communities and the alignment of social work principles with the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The essay highlights the role of social workers in improving the quality of life for PWDs.

Running head: SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

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Introduction
Over the years, social work practices in healthcare have managed to innovate as well as
adapt many of its key functions. Traditionally these functions have incorporated information and
referral, counselling along with case advocacy (Morley & Ablett, 2016). These elements of
social work practice show congruency with norms, procedures along with interdisciplinary
arrangements encountered in health and rehabilitation organizations. Increasingly, some people
with disabilities (PWD) are posing questions towards the efficiency and assumptions intrinsic to
social work’s traditional helping role. Hastings and Rogowski (2015) have noted that many
people with disabilities are showing interest in empowerment. In such a process, some have
started to mistrust social workers who they assume to have been more interest in accomplishing
other roles rather than focusing on people with disabilities. However, in recent times, social work
activities have developed and influenced by disability rights movements. Recently, new
associations and organizations have been formed in order to accomplish the needs of PWDs and
potentials of acquiring new levels of integrations into community life. Several social work
associations such as AASW (Australian Association of Social Workers’) have been contributing
to social work in the disability field. With my high interest of engaging in the field of social
work, I have aimed to understand their commitment of social workers towards human rights and
their holistic understanding of the individuals and further viewing the impairment of PWD as
sole aspect of what constructs their identity. Additionally, drawing on the major contribution of
social advocacy movement, I have realized that PWD are diverse group and constitutes an
extensive range of events, abilities, impairments and ability for development. The following
essay will evaluate social work practice with people with disabilities in the era of disability rights
that includes radical, structural, and social constructivism perspectives.

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Discussion
Critically delving into the several resources related to the field of social work, I have
understood that in sustaining social workers’ aim of social justice, empowerment, self-
determination and assurance to marginalized populations, a critical social theory of disability is
required to inquire the monolithic view of disability as individual shortfall. Authors have noted
that presently, social work has advanced towards empowerment, strengths and flexible
perspectives. Furthermore, drawing relevance to work of Macfarlane, Morley and Ablett (2014),
social workers have adopted the empowerment framework which concerns itself with the
elevation of social, economic and political impact of disabled class related to privileged or
‘abled’ section of the society. Critically analysing the impact of social, political and economic
issues on social work practice it has been observed that several social problems linked to youth
violence, child exploitation, poverty have been posing impediments for social workers to focus
intrinsically on issues of the PWDs. On the other hand, shedding light on economic inequality in
the field of social work practices have helped me to understand the underlying issues related to
aid PWDs. Pease, Goldingay, Hosken and Nipperess (2016) have noted that in Australia, the
gains of economic prosperity are unequally allocated, whereby a section experience the wealth as
facilitated and opportunity promoting, whereas the others fall under major disadvantage as
consequential to social and economic inequality. Furthermore, rapidly increasing inequality in
income as well as wealth has developed as a critical social issue for Australia requiring the
urgent attention of government and social work. For example, by 2014, the wealthiest 25% of
Australians possessed over 60% of total household net worth, which is estimated to be 71 times
the wealth of the bottom 20%, whose share is scarcely 1.5% of national private capital (Fook,
2016). By reading articles on impact of socio-economic inequality on social workers’ field of

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practice, it has been seen that the disadvantage linked with increasing socioeconomic
disproportion has insightful and prevalent impacts for all Australians. Pease, Goldingay, Hosken
and Nipperess (2016) have noted that series of adverse outcomes, intrinsically related to growing
inequality involves intergenerational poverty along with related social issues such as increasing
crime rates, increased rates of suicide, rising morbidity as well as mortality rates and rates of
violence all of which are identified as key areas for social work. Thus, to my understanding, as
social workers evaluate their practice with PWDs, they need to focus more on enabling them
achieve person-in-context implications.
At this juncture, to understand the implication of critical theoretical perspectives, it is
important to shed light on social constructionism which offers inclusive insights to contemporary
conceptualizations of disability. Minarik (2017) has noted that most individualistic accounts of
disability have been incompetent to consider that even the most objective of disability related to
visual impairment do not have its existence free of cultural patterns and society. The socio-
constructionist perspective tends to claim that disability-related impairment tends to emerge from
association of the individual suffering from disability to socio-cultural environment in which
environment is viewed as primary target of intervention. However, while reading on anti-
oppressive theory and practice on disability, I have understood that this framework shows
contradiction to perspective implemented by social work education concerning disability,
whereby the importance relies on rehabilitation, adjustment and alleviation. Moreover,
concerning the insights of cultural studies, it has been noted that cultural construction of
disability tends to inquire the explanation area of developing human actors in the society. Thus,
as a potential social worker, I believe it is highly imperative to explore the existing insights in
order to strategically deconstruct the unspoken assumptions in relation to disability and PWDs.

4SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
For example, social work in growingly multicultural Australia poses the query of perspectives
through which disability can be understood in different cultures. Additionally, how certain
disabilities of the body and mind construed and tackled with in different societies? Meanwhile,
studies conducted by authors have revealed the way experience of disabilities tends to fluctuate
across cultures. Hirsch, Maylea, David and Nipperess (2019) have cited varying attitudes of non
western cultures as examples which view PWDs through negative eyes and refrain from positive
social acceptance and related to the attribution of supernatural powers. Furthermore, disparities
in Native American beliefs relate concept of sickness with disabilities across cultures such as
Hopi, Apache, Yagui, and Navajo. Thus, to my understanding, considering disability as a
socially as well as culturally formed occurrence, instead of viewing as an inherent objective
requires to inquire the presuppositions of the medical model which constructed the foundation of
social work practice with PWDs. Drawing credence to these evidences, I consider that
constructionism provides a theoretical framework in order to reconsider disability in liberating
and empowering terms.
Meanwhile, at this juncture, focus on Foucault’s perspective of social constructionism
provides an important drive to contemporary studies to explore the medicalization of social
issues and its impact on social workers’ field of practices. Delving into the fundamental aspects
of disciplinary power and control on social workers way of practising has offered me inclusive
insights regarding the way power of scientific understanding, fixed in the process of
medicalization of disability tends to create disparity between sovereign and disciplinary control.
However, after gathering insights of such a perspective has helped me to understand the
implication of discourses in areas such as social work and rehabilitation which tends to authorize

5SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
the capacity of specialized social workers to uphold relationships of power and focus on PWDs
in the making of welfare policies and services.
On the other hand, while focusing on efficient approaches of social workers, I have
understood that one of the efficient ways of practising for social workers relies greatly on
reaching out to the disability rights community roles which may be highly valuable. However,
although supervised care agencies successfully form significant needs for social work mezzo
along with macro skills. Nonetheless, Asakura, Todd, Eagle and Morris (2018) have stated that
considering elevated caseloads and high service demands along with declining social service
funds in the health services sector, client self determination acts as most vital determinant, as
social workers struggle to stabilize their workloads. Thus, considering increasing activism and
positivity of several PWDs, these challenges could position social workers and their way of
practising at critical situations with PWD groups (Minarik, 2017). Thus, effective social work
practice with PWDs necessitates re-focused theoretical framework reinforcing and encouraging
self-determination. However, such a framework in my understanding will show effectiveness
only it is designed to aid PWDs to efficiently mobilize and assist groups of PWDs to take into
account policy and programs which have the competence to improve the current situation.
On the other side, attempting to identify issues arising in present context for social
workers, I have understood the importance of ways in which radical social work can aid social
workers to successfully help PWDs. According to Pease, Goldingay, Hosken and Nipperess
(2016), radical theory of social work has been initially developed in order to mitigate the
consequences imposed on individuals in a dominant capitalist society. However, in recent times,
radical perspective of social work entails understanding domination in the context of social as
well as economic structures rather than resolving issues of the oppressed. Nonetheless, by

6SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
viewing present scenario of social work practices where people show greater degree of
integration reflecting believes of society being disintegrated, I have understood that radical
perspective now aims for values of equal justice along with integration in societal matters of
collective actions. At this juncture, I have considered the importance of introduction of policies
which are required to be developed from the foundation with social workers who will have
primary experiences of the influence of governmental policy viewed and treated as experts.
Meanwhile, considering radical perspective of social work, Macfarlane, Morley and Ablett
(2014) have noted that in recent times, radical social practice has been retrievable if it constitutes
the ability to re-explore its humanistic sources and its values related to individual liberty and
human rights. However, it is imperative to argue that radical social work, if it is used in efficient
ways to draw integration to the society can draw noteworthy contribution in mitigating the
struggles and demands of neoliberalism as well as capitalist measures in present scenario of
social work services for PWDs. Moreover, by obtaining comprehensive insights of radical social
work, I have understood the importance of applying radical approach to social work practice in
dealing challenges of disabilities which has become highly prevalent in society.
As social work practices are dedicated in maximising the welfare of individuals, families,
communities and society as a whole. Obtaining relevant information and understanding of social
work practice, I consider that individual and societal welfare is supported by socially inclusive
communities which focus on principles and values of social justice and respect for human
dignity. These principles tend to align to the disability advocacy movement as well as the United
Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Hosken (2016) has noted that the
primary intervention of social work profession is to function at the edge between people and
their social, cultural, physical as well as natural settings. To my understanding, through

7SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
evaluation, research, investigation, policy and community work, social workers operate from a
person-in-setting perspective further offering interventions which seek issues at personal as well
as social level. Furthermore, social workers tend to uphold a dual focus on improving human
interests and focusing on any external issues that tend to influence welfare or create situations of
discrimination, injustice and inequity. Reports of Hastings and Rogowski (2015) have revealed
that primary role of social workers is to focus on sustaining and improving quality of life. The
National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIS) has been recently expanding the range of social
workers which highlight that on the abilities of social workers to fill positions in management
roles and serve roles of local area coordinators and planners in addition to service coordinators.
Moreover, through the comprehensive insights of the scope of practice of social work in the field
of PWDs, I have understood that in most of the contexts, social workers are likely to focus on
working with PWDs to advocate for their privileges and aid their empowerment and further
acquire their needs and desires. Furthermore, one of the significant roles of social workers in
recent times is to develop evidence-informed reviews, planning and intervening within a client
empowerment framework. While understanding about social work interventions, I have been
able to draw similar insights of Asakura, Todd, Eagle and Morris (2018) who have revealed that
social work interventions consider the effect of health, psychosocial along with other needs of
the individual and their support systems. Furthermore, it has been noted that social workers tend
to be engaged to several multidisciplinary teams, particularly during the occurrence of social
workers’ interventions within social, psychosomatic, family and institutional dynamics.
Considering these factors, I have understood that social workers have the ability to notify the
decision-making competences of other professionals as well as the multidisciplinary team.
Moreover, it is essential to note that social workers tend to respect the predominance of the

8SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
individual’s human rights, privileges and aim to work towards people with disability choosing
ways to live their life with equal rights and opportunities. Meanwhile, according to authors, with
a serious focus of social workers on holistic support along with the competence to take into
account intricacies emerging through various theoretical perspectives, social workers aim to
provide a unique contribution by proficiently offering suitable as well as targeted services in
order to accomplish all the needs, demands and aspirations of people suffering from disabilities.
Such a multi-focused approach primarily incorporates ideas and knowledge related to human
functioning and behaviour. This multi-focused perspective also sheds light on the way social,
economic, political, legal as well as cultural factors are likely to interrelate and act decisive in
order to produce the stigma, prejudice, marginalisation and social isolation experienced by
several individuals suffering from physical or mental disability and their families (Pease, 2016).
Nonetheless, even recent social work practices have developed to form integration and
mitigate injustice against PWDs; several persons with disabilities have highlighted severe lack of
control which several people with disabilities have been experiencing (Jemal, 2017). Several
PWDs have revealed the way persons with disabilities have been experiencing inequalities when
they are involved in treatment process which do not relate to psychological occurrence.
However, in order to mitigate these challenges of PWDs, social workers engaged in healthcare
settings must proficiently develop and demonstrate skills which will primarily aid their clients to
focus on inclusion in the development and decision-making processes purposed for the treatment
of PWDs (Pease, Goldingay, Hosken &Nipperess, 2016). Furthermore, in my opinion, social
workers will further call for putting greater emphasis on their practice as educators to aid clients
becoming efficient advocates and negotiators for their own wellbeing. On the other side, it is
important to note that, social workers for successfully accomplishing strategic advocacy as well

9SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
as negotiation modalities, social workers are likely to relate to highly deliberative and decisive
with practitioners employed to self-governing livelihood, source of income in addition to
disability rights movements. These recommendations on improvement further suggest the call for
improved inter-organizational discourse along with agency contracts for working together in
distinguishing issues as well as concerns, prepare agendas also expand reciprocal considerations.
In addition to this, for developing the field of social work practices it is important for social
workers to attain augmented levels of information related to particular issues that are of distress
to the disability community. Moreover, I assume that direct services social workers require
acting highly responsive to issues related to marginalization, discrimination and lack of agency
realization which majority people suffering from disabilities tend to experience. These feelings
time and again have emerged inadequate or restricted contacts with other people with disabilities.
However, it is important to note that people with recently acquired disabilities need to work
together with empowered people with disabilities and fight for equal rights and privileges.
Conclusion
Hence to conclude, professional social workers serve a contributory role in offering
services to the disability field in government as well non-government organizations along with
the budding private sector. In addition to this, with holistic approach towards attaining self-
determination, I have understood that primary role of modern day social workers relies on
proficiently offering unique and helpful involvement to provide suitable, accurate as well as
targeted services in order to meet the multifaceted requirements and wants of individuals along
with their families and communities, in both disability as well as mainstream services.
Furthermore, I assume that if we have correctly apply social-constructivism, structural as well as
radical perspectives to the practice of social workers, values and practices related to attainment

10SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
of equal rights and authorities along with social justice for people with disabilities will become
highly established in contemporary society rather than solely be considered as an unattainable
social purpose.

11SOCIAL WORK THEORIES AND SKILLS
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