12 June 2015

Last year, Scope undertook some research that found that most British people don’t feel comfortable talking to people with disabilities. The most common reason given was that they are worried about saying “the wrong thing”.  In response, Scope ran a campaign called “End the Awkward”. It was aimed particularly at young people, who they found were most likely to have negative attitudes towards disability, and included humorous youtube videos featuring Alex Brooker. The idea was to get young people thinking differently about disabilities. It was a fantastic campaign, and went a long way in demonstrating how small changes in behaviour can lead to greatly improved understanding.

Whilst we don’t doubt that Scope’s approach was right for young people, how are we to we deal with professional adults who continue to say that they just do not know how to behave?

If you ask these people why they feel awkward, the standard answer will be a variant of one of the following: “I haven’t been told how they like to be treated” “I don’t know the extent of their disability and therefore how to respond appropriately” or “I’m not sure what to do”.

When the same people are then told what to do, they see the common sense in what is being said, thank you for your assistance, and begin to act appropriately. What they will not do is give a moment’s thought as to why it is they were quite happy for someone to think this issue through for them.

When a person with a disability is obliged to educate others, and tell them how to behave, it does at least solve the practical problems or inappropriate behaviour that have occurred. But it also creates a set of problems of its own. It puts the onus on the person with the disability to continually explain what the issues are, while at the same time absolving the person who feels awkward from any responsibility to think for themselves.

For many people with disabilities, the constant need to do other people’s thinking for them is exhausting. And it is also unfair. The professionals that many of us have worked alongside during our careers are intelligent, articulate, people who in their working lives have come up against many problems to solve. We create new products, we interpret new legislation, we buy and sell companies, and we adapt to social, political and economic changes. And yet when it comes to working alongside a colleague with a disability, we are, apparently, unable to think for ourselves.

Why is this? Well the underlying reason is clear, at least to us. A disability or long term health condition is considered to be a “problem” that must be owned by the person who lives with it. They gain entry to the “able-bodied” club only when they have made efforts to explain and adapt, and show that they are not a problem. Effectively we are saying: “This disability is your problem, you must educate us as to what it is, and present us with solutions, without which we may feel unable to fully include you.” Whilst it is often not the intention of the person who “does not know what to do” to create this atmosphere, it is undoubtedly the practical effect of their attitude.

We would be appalled if, say, women at work were presented with that same attitude, and rightly so. It’s time we extended the same thought, consideration and equality to those with disabilities.

If you would like to read more about working alongside people with disabilities, please read Robert Hunter’s “A code for dealing with people with disabilities”, which you can find on our website here.

Mostly, though, think. Apply all of your skill and judgement, as you do to your work, to understanding how to treat another human being with dignity and respect. It’s ok to get it wrong – most people with disabilities will appreciate the effort, and gently put you right. What is not ok is to expect them to do all your work for you, and then be grateful that you listened.