1. 1 Invalidiliitto 1 Searching for a shared understanding of precondition for action Social Work Social Development –Conference 8.- 13.7.2012 Stockholm Tiina Lappalainen (Finland)

2. 2 Invalidiliitto 2 Social workers in health care encounter in their work people with different individual limitations in their functioning. The objective of my presentation is to search for a shared understanding and common framework for the education and thinking for the social and health professionals who work with clients with limitations in their functioning. Nowadays social and health services are not integrated and clients themselves can’t control their living conditions.

3. 3 Invalidiliitto 3 Health care professionals operate in the fields of individual functioning, with the functioning of the human body and mind, and the structures of the body. These functions should be treated as a part of the activities, because these are preconditions for the client’s everyday life and participation. The professional expertise in social work is particularly connected to support the participation of clients. Clients’ participation needs to be handle as a part of the their multi-lateral environment, which creates and limits the possibilities for actions.

4. 4 Invalidiliitto 4 My idea, in disability studies, is to move forward from the traditional dichotomy. Instead of juxtaposition of the social and medical model of disability, both perspectives are needed, and in addition the client’s own subjective experience and personal perspective must be included. In postmodern society we need the multidimensional framework and understanding.

5. 5 Invalidiliitto 5 Precondition for action changing with time SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE – PERSONAL PERSPECTIVE Individual as an active subject, gender, age, experience, life conditions, lifestyle, routines, upbringing, motivation, social background, education, occupation, personal psychological strength and strategy for survive PARTICIPATINON Human Rights - Major living areas - Learning, knowledge - Working - Interaction and relationship ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS - Environment, nature - Product, technology - Legislation, institutions, systems. culture - Possibilities and limitation BODY AND MIND FUNCTIONS AND BODY STRUCTURE - Bodily resources - Sense and thinking - Health condition - Disability, illness ACTIVITIES - Mobility - Domestic life - Communication - Learning - Self Care

6. 6 Invalidiliitto 6 Common understanding by uniting these theories and frameworks 1. Capability approach by Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen That outcome-oriented view would like to determine basic principles and adequate measures which would fulfill a human life dignity. There are ten capabilities or real opportunities based on personal and social circumstances. 2. International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) by the World Health Organization 3. Human Rights by United Nations. The approach is to see disability as a human rights question.

7. 7 Invalidiliitto 7 The official ICF framework excludes person’s subjective goals, motivations, personal histories and individual characteristics which are formed by the clients themselves. These is the third and very important dimension of the common framework. Individual factors such as the person’s age, gender, life experiences, lifestyle and behavior are the starting point for a human subjective experiencing, identity and empowerment that social workers and health care professionals support in their work.

8. 8 Invalidiliitto 8 Thank you for your attention! Tiina Lappalainen, projektipäällikkö, YTM Invalidiliitto ry Finnish Association of People with Physical Disabilities tiina.lappalainen@invalidiliitto.fi