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Defining disability
A young black boy with protective
                  headgear in a wheelchair is helped by a teacher

This module is concerned with the definitions of disability contained within UK legislation.

 

If children/young people are disabled, they have entitlements arising from their assessed needs. This section identifies 'what counts as disability' within the context of different Acts of Parliament.


In legislation, words can have very specific meanings, and their definitions can vary over time and between agencies (e.g. education, health, social care), which can cause confusion and difficulty when applying the law. One example is the different definitions of 'child', 'young person' and adult'. Click here to read more.

 

You will also have seen discussions around the use of the terms 'disabled' and 'disability'. There is ongoing debate about what is meant by these terms and how to use them in different contexts. The following slides illustrate this.