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The recognition of disability as a social construct has aided in providing better access to the built environment for disabled people, through the implementation of accessible spaces. However, access to them is not straightforward for disabled people who do not match stereotypical representations of disability. Drawing on empirical data collected from semi structured interviews and photo elicitation exercises, conducted with people with dwarfism living in the UK, this paper shows how they are often challenged or denied access to accessible spaces, creating a hierarchy of impairments. Building on the notion of 'statuarized spaces' the paper demonstrates how access to accessible spaces is influenced by their representation, which differs from representations of dwarfism, leading to incongruous encounters. These incongruous encounters affect the spatial practices of people with dwarfism. A more varied representation of disability is required in order to provide people with dwarfism straightforward access to accessible spaces. The ideas explored in this paper are based upon research carried out with people with dwarfism living in the UK. Shows how people with dwarfism are told off or challenged by other people when they want to access to accessible spaces. The paper shows some of the ways people with dwarfism gain access to accessible spaces. The paper argues for a broader representation of disability in order for people with dwarfism to be recognised as disabled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research about disabled identity reflects diverse perspectives on the merits and challenges associated with such an identity. This paper explores the impact of disabled identity on the inclusion of disabled students in higher education and employment contexts. It considers their experiences of inclusion in a university setting and its associated work-based placements and discusses the extent to which students had to negotiate a range of experiences of disabled identity. The paper suggests that many disabled students, especially those with behaviour-related impairment labels, are subject to continued exclusion in university and, more particularly, work settings, and this contributes to an employment disadvantage compared with their peers. To this end, the paper highlights the importance of enhancing inclusion for disabled students, especially in employment settings, through a focus on reducing destructive identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjustments to working arrangements and the working environment have enabled organisations to recruit and retain valuable staff and helped disabled individuals to work and progress in their careers. The qualitative study reported in this paper indicates that generally good adjustments-related practice across 33 British local authorities was beginning to deteriorate under the impact of government spending cuts; and was at further risk from the dismantling of legal protections. The findings have implications for local authorities, but also for national policy-makers and those wishing to influence them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are limited comparisons between the experience of disabled students in higher education and their non-disabled peers, particularly on practice placements. This article presents the results of such a comparison, across six professional disciplines in one UK university. The results revealed that both disabled and non-disabled students reported positive placement experiences and also similar difficulties. Such difficulties were exacerbated for some disabled students, however, including as a consequence of the attitudes of others to disability. Recommendations for practice are identified that aim to enhance the placement experience of all students and to remove barriers to access. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Independent Living Fund (ILF) was a non-departmental public body funded by the Department for Work and Pensions. An efficient and popular system of support, the ILF enabled 46,000 people between 1988 and 2015; however, in 2015 the Fund closed and local authorities (LAs) assumed sole responsibility for supporting former ILF users. This article presents the experiences of 12 former ILF users as they transition from ILF to LA support. We focus on participants’ experiences of ILF and LA support, their transition from ILF to LA support, and the emotional impact of transition. Participants were universally positive about their dealings with the ILF, whilst nearly all were worried about LA provision. For most participants, the process of transfer was not smooth; participants received insufficient information and poor communication from LAs. Participants expressed anxiety and uncertainty over the future and these feelings were exacerbated by the actions of LAs during transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to investigate the experiences of six African immigrant mothers living in the United Kingdom with a child diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The mothers took part in one-off, semi-structured interviews. Four themes were identified: caring for a child we did not expect, the pain of stigma and rejection, frameworks of meaning, and negotiating conflicting cultural beliefs. Many aspects of the mothers’ experiences appear related to their position as immigrants from cultures with contrasting belief systems regarding child development and disability. Conflicts between African cultural beliefs and a western, medical understanding of ASD appeared to create a feeling of cognitive dissonance for the mothers. The strategies used to negotiate this appear to map onto Berry’s acculturation strategies, suggesting that the experience of having a child with ASD impacts upon the acculturation process. Implications for clinical practice and policy are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The stand-up comedy landscape has been transformed in recent years with an increased number of disabled comedians performing. Using semi-structured interviews with disabled comedians, this article provides a thematic analysis of the material and ideological motives, intentions and lived experiences of disabled comedians. Two themes are discussed: comedy management and control; and affirming disability through comedy. These themes are characterised by complexity and contradictions. The article concludes that, although not a straightforward process, stand-up comedy enacted by disabled comedians is potentially a powerful tool through which hegemonic norms around disability can be challenged and renegotiated. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]