Representation

Representing disabled people positively is key to effecting change and improving services

A positive image of disability is a fair, creative and stimulating portrayal of one or more disabled people. It will be based on the social rather than medical model of disability. It could be anything from a photo, graphic or character in a storyline, to a visual or aural cue.

Positive representation will help to change public attitudes and raise expectations of what disabled people can achieve. It will also help disabled people to connect and associate with your campaign.

Raising expectations

Many government objectives rely on communicating with disabled people and their families. Currently there is inequality for disabled people in terms of healthcare, education and employment opportunities and government recognises a real need for change.

Government accounts for a significant proportion of advertising expenditure in the UK and therefore has a central role in improving the number and quality of products involving disabled people.

By including disabled people in its creative output, government advertising can help to shift the idea that disability is a tragedy affecting a small minority. Instead we can show that it is a normal part of life, and that disabled people can be successful in a range of roles.

The more positive representations of disabled people are produced, the easier the task of changing attitudes becomes. Every campaign which includes positive disability messages positive representation will help achieve this.

Getting your audience’s attention

The presence of disabled people and way in which they are represented in government communications will also influence how much attention disabled people and their families will pay to your messages.

For example, a communications campaign encouraging people to work in social care should include content that assumes that disabled people will give as well as receive care.

What you can do

Whenever you can:

include positive images of disabled people in your communications
commission products that include positive representations of disabled people.

Avoid portraying disabled people as:

victims of their impairments or health conditions
heroes
dependant upon others
receivers rather than givers to society and the economy
only wheelchair and white stick users.

Resources

Office for Disability Issues image gallery

Explore

Page last reviewed: 04 November 2010