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Disability communication guide
- Author:
- EMPLOYERS' FORUM ON DISABILITY
- Publisher:
- Employers' Forum on Disability
- Publication year:
- 2005
- Pagination:
- 19p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The Disability Communications Guide is a quick reference guide for everyone who might work with or serve disabled people. It advises on specific impairments and preferred modes of assistance, gives guidance on language and etiquette and contains practical advice on how to recognise and avoid attitudes and behaviour which can create misunderstandings and barriers.
Being there
- Authors:
- ANDERBERG Peter, JÖNSSON Bodil
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 20(7), December 2005, pp.719-733.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This article examines the use of the Internet as experienced by people with significant mobility/physical impairments who are accustomed to using computers. The study is based on interviews and focuses on computer usage in everyday action and interaction. Contact with the majority of participants was established through the Swedish Internet Centre in Tenerife, Spain. In many cases, the possibilities that the computer and Internet offer have meant not only important improvements in quality of life, but first-time occurrences of great personal significance. The analysis is phenomenographic, resulting in main categories and subcategories, illustrated primarily through direct quotations. The three main categories are independence, communication, and learning.
Assessment of the relationship between parenting stress and a child's ability to functionally communicate
- Authors:
- ELLO Linda M., DONOVAN Sandra J.
- Journal article citation:
- Research on Social Work Practice, 15(6), November 2005, pp.531-544.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Using a two-group, cross-sectional survey design, this American study explored the relationship between parenting stress and a child’s ability to functionally communicate within families who participated in an early intervention developmental disability programme with respect to total stress as well as domain-specific stress. In addition, this study described how this relationship differed with respect to key demographic characteristics. Sixty four parents were included in the study. The findings suggest that a child’s ability to functionally communicate does negatively relate to the level of parenting stress in the parent-child subsystem. Implications for both social work practice and policy are presented.
The accessibility of general NHS services for children with disabilities
- Authors:
- WHARTON Sarah, HAMES Annette, MILNER Helen
- Journal article citation:
- Child: Care, Health and Development, 31(3), May 2005, pp.275-282.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Through conversations with members of a parent-run support organization, mixed concerns were identified about the accessibility of general National Health Service (NHS) services for children with disabilities. A questionnaire, aimed at uncovering the main issues related to general health services for children with disabilities was designed with representatives from the parent-run support organization. The questionnaire was administered as part of a semi-structured interview with 25 parents of children with disabilities (mainly learning disabilities). Eight themes were reported 'preparation', 'flexibility', 'parking', 'physical space', 'waiting areas and consultation rooms', 'health professionals' understanding and knowledge of disabilities, particularly around communication', 'on the wards' and 'overseeing care'. Themes are presented with parents' useful comments and suggestions. As the themes are wide ranging it is suggested that the research be repeated, focusing in on particular areas of general NHS services.
Multi-agency working in services for disabled children: what impact does it have on professionals?
- Authors:
- ABBOTT David, TOWNSLEY Ruth, WATSON Debby
- Journal article citation:
- Health and Social Care in the Community, 13(2), March 2005, pp.155-163.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Whilst agencies in many sectors have been encouraged to work together to better meet the needs of service users, multi-agency working is now a central feature of government policy. In relation to children's services, the National Service Framework, the English green paper, 'Every Child Matters' (DfES, 2003) and the Children Bill (DfES 2004) give a high priority to an integrated approach to service provision. This paper focuses on multi-agency working for disabled children with complex health-care needs, a group of children who, perhaps even more than most, require the many professionals who support them and their families, to work more closely together. Drawing on the findings from a 3-year qualitative research study, this paper examines the impact of working in a multi-agency service on professionals. Interviews with 115 professionals concluded that staff were overwhelmingly positive about working as part of a multi-agency service. They reported improvements to their working lives in areas such as professional development, communication, collaboration with colleagues, and relationships with families with disabled children. However, whilst professionals felt that they were able to offer families a more efficient service, there was concern that the overall impact of multi-agency working on disabled children and their families would be limited.
Making sense in primary care: levelling the playing field for people with communication difficulties
- Authors:
- LAW J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Disability and Society, 20(2), March 2005, pp.169-184.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Primary care depends on the effective communication between service user and practitioner. This study proposes that people with communication difficulties serve as a litmus test for whether practitioners are truly sensitised to the impact of their own communication skills. It is based on interviews with service users and carers. Three key themes emerged, namely inclusion, the process of communication, and continuity. Inclusion is concerned with effective participation in society in general and access to health care in particular. The communication process describes the way in which health issues are raised and addressed. Continuity refers to the way in which time interacts with the relationship between user and provider. The paper concludes that effective communication is not simply a set of taught behaviours but reflects a set of values that create the conditions for improving both communication and clinical outcomes.