The diversity model in Spain: contributions and challenges for its implementation: ‘the way we want to live’

Abstract

In the context of the new social movements, the Independent Living Movement (ILM) for people with disabilities commenced in the US in the 1960s and was further developed by the Social Model that emerged in the field of Anglo-Saxon sociology in the 1970s and 1980s. The Social Model represents a new way of conceptualizing functional diversity as it emphasizes the predominance of oppressive social structures at the same time as it promotes independent living as an alternative to the institutionalism of the Biologic Medical-Rehabilitative Model. In the last two decades, the Social Model has undergone significant development. In Spain, in the context the ILM, this has led to the emergence of the Diversity Model. This new model, however, has not been widely implemented in social policies where institutionalism persists in opposition to self-managed personal services (personal assistance). The continuation of these practices has been severely questioned during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Points of Interest

• The movement of people with disabilities emerged around the end of the 1960s in the United States and gave rise to demands by people with disabilities for equal rights.

• The possibility of living independently through personal assistance is one such right.

• Personal assistance is a service that supports people with disabilities to live in their own homes.

• In Spain, the movement of people with disabilities became established around the turn of century and advocated for the dignity and diversity of people with disabilities.

• In spite of their demands, social policy in Spain dedicates more resources to providing places in residential care than to support for independent living in the community.

• People who do not want to live in residential care encounter great difficulties accessing the resources that they require to live independently.

Keywords:

• People with functional diversity
• independent living movement
• diversity model
• social politics
• institutionalization
• independent living

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.