THE CARE AND SUPPORT EXPERIENCES OF PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES IN EMPLOYMENT SECTOR ACASE STUDY OF ADJUMANI TOWN COUNCIL, ADJUMANI DISTRICT
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This chapter introduces the background to the study, the research problem, objectives, research questions, study scope and significance of the study
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
According to Wood, (1980) disability is any restriction or lack (resulting from impairment)of ability to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being. An estimated world population of about 650 million people have physical, cognitive and sensory disabilities which limit their participation in mainstream activities and the majorityofthispopulationlivesinmiddle-incomeandlow-incomecountries(Kangere2003, World Health Organisation, 2008).This makes asignificant 10% of the world population people living with various forms of disabilities. This significant group of people should not be excludeding any social, political and economic margins of their lives sothat they can live afully functional life. The Conventionon the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Article 1 (CRPD) states that persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (Mont, 2007).
The number of PWDs is increasing globally. There are estimates which highlight this rise, particularly in developing countries, due to conflicts, malnutrition, accidents, violence, communicable and non-communicable diseases including HIV/AIDS, ageing and natural disasters (Elwan1999,Chaudhry2005). Given this it is critical for any development interventions to involve and work with PWDs. In addition, developing countries area habitat to about 8% of PWDs living without social systems to support them, such as inadequate health services and limited access to education (UNFPA, 2006). The situation of health systems is a major cause of concern in most developing countries as healthcare has stagnated and worsened in some in stances (Bhatiaand Mossialos2004).
Disability is part of the human condition. Almost everyone will be temporarily or permanently impaired at some point in life, and those who survive to old age will experience increasing difficulties in functioning. Most extended families have a disabled member, and many non-disabled people take responsibility for supporting and caring for their relatives and friends with disabilities (Ferguson, 2001). Every epoch has faced the moral and political issue of how best to include and support people with disabilities. This issue will become more acute as the demographics of societies change and more people live to an old age(Lee, 2003).
Responses to disability have changed since the 1970s, prompted largely by the self-organization of people with disabilities (Charlton, 1998), and by the growing tendency to see disability as a human rights issue (Quinn & Degener, 2002). Historically, people with disabilities have largely been provided for through solutions that segregate them, such as residential institutions and special schools (Parmenter, 2008). Policy has now shifted towards community and educational inclusion, and medically focused solution shave given way to more interactive approaches recognizing that people are disabled by environmental factors as well as by their bodies. National and international initiatives such as the United Nations Standard Rules on the Equalization of Opportunities of Persons with Disabilities (UN, 2003) have incorporate the human rights of people with disabilities, culminating in 2006 with the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities(CRPD).
Rural area communities in particular, have suffered greatly from this unequal distribution of services for individuals with disabilities. Members in these communities often face more problems accessing medical services, education, and employment compared to their urban counterpart. In addition, the poor economic state of arural environment compounds the challenges for persons with disabilities. This is a major reason why many disabled individual in those areas livein extreme poverty. Therefore, there is an essential need to empower these communities so they could obtain a better quality of life (NUWODU, 2010).
The government of Uganda has put much effort in providing care and support to people with disabilities particularly in education where they are trained in vocational skills and vocational rehabilitation, health where the Uganda Minimum Health Care Package (UMHCP) was put in place to ensure that essential health services are accessible to people with disabilities, employment where a programme was put in place to sensitize the employers to recruit qualified and skilled people with disabilities and vocational training programme to equip people with disabilities with employable skills and social security among others where people with disabilities in the formal sector are entitled to also access existing social security schemes like pension, provident fund and insurance services(Uganda National Policy on Disability, 2006).
Today in Uganda, itis estimated that approximately3 million people have some form of a disability. The Ugandan government has acknowledged that disability is a critical issue that affect individuals at all levels in society. In efforts to combat the challenges of disability, the Ugandan government has created several laws and policies to address disability concerns like the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2005. Despite these initiatives, only a small percentage of people with disabilities have received the services offered by the Ugandan government and other organizations, while majority of people with disability live in rural areas and those who manage to come to urban areas mainly stay in streets as beggars , this has puzzled the government of Uganda on what to do this study therefore intends to investigate into the care and support experiences of people with disabilities in employment in Adjumani Town Council, Adjumani District.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
According to the 2002 population and housing census, at least 4 out of 25, or 16 per cent of the Ugandan population are disabled (approximately 30 million which would indicate 5 million disabled people in the country). The people with disabilities are ought to participate fully in the society like others (Mont, 2007). People with disabilities in Uganda face challenges like extreme conditions of poverty, limited access to basic needs and employment opportunities (Rebeiro Gruhl, 2012). However the Northern Uganda survey 2004 indicates that 96% of PWD’s have been extended services by micro-finance institutions. Even though the Ugandan government and other international organizations like USAID has implemented several laws and policies like persons with disabilities Act 2005/6 for people with disabilities, the UN convection on the rights of persons with disabilities 2008 states that people with disabilities still experience work place discrimination and prejudices by 39% and social exclusion by 56% in participating in the community, It is against this background that the researcher seeks to investigate the care and support experiences of people with disabilities in Adjumani town council in Adjumani district.
1.3 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
To examine the care and support experiences of people with physical disabilities in employment sector in Adjumani Town Council in Adjumani district.
1.4 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
- To examine the different ways that disability is defined by employers.
- To explore the type of social support systems used by people with disability as coping mechanism at workplace
- To examine the individuals support systems adopted by PWDs to cope with employment challenges.
1.5 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- What are the different ways that disability is defined by employers?
- What are the type of social support systems used by people with disability as coping mechanism at workplace
- What are the individuals support systems adopted by PWDs to cope with employment challenges.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
1.6.1 Geographical scope
The study will be carried out inAdjumani Town Council in Adjumani district.
1.6.2 Content scope
The study will focus on the care and support experiences of people with physical disabilities in employment sector in Adjumani Town Council basing on the specific objectives outlined above.
1.6.3 Time scope
The study will cover literature from 2000 to 2015 on the care and support experiences of people with physical disabilities in employment sector.
1.7 Conceptual frame work
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INDEPENDENT VARIABLE DEPENDENT VARIABLE
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INTERVENING VARIABLE
1.8 JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
Being disabled is one of the most traumatic experience an individual can face, coupled with stigma, personal challenges, inability to access some places, among others. Though government, NGOs, families, friends, among others provide some form of care and support to the disabled. It’s not yet enough since many are still languishing in poverty and suffering prompting the researcher to examine the care and support experiences of people with disabilities in Adjumani Town Council in Adjumani district.
1.9 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study will help raise awareness on the condition of persons with disabilities in communities and Adjumani Town Council in particular.
It will also provide statistical information to the government on the prevalence of disability in the study area and hence a basis of supporting them.
The study will also act as source of information to more researchers and the general public on disability as a condition.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Introduction
This chapter presents the literature about the care and support experiences of people with physical disabilities in employment sector, this will be presented according to specific objectives of the study.
2.1 TO establish the community support systems that is utilized by people with physical disabilities to access employment.
Disability is part of the human condition. Almost everyone will be temporarily or permanently impaired at some point in life, and those who survive to old age will experience increasing difficulties in functioning. Most extended families have a disabled member, and many non-disabled people take responsibility for supporting and caring for their relatives and friends with disabilities. Every epoch has faced the moral and political issue of how best to include and support people with disabilities. This issue will become more acute as the demographics of societies change and more people live to an old age.
Community attitudes vary according to the type of disability. Attitude research shows many people are uncomfortable with mental illness, but less so with physical disability. Changing attitudes towards particular groups of people with disability requires additional information for people to understand the specific experiences associated with these disabilities (ACT DAC 2007; Wallace 2004).
Education can reduce discrimination against children with disabilities and tackle poverty, Education, particularly inclusive education, is able to reduce discrimination through enabling children with and without disabilities to grow up together. Education gives children with disabilities skills to allow them to become positive role models and join the employment market, thereby helping to prevent poverty.
People with disabilities in developing countries, like their counterparts in Europe, haven countered many problems. The governments of many countries had never committed themselves to providing public services for these large groups of citizens (Helander, 1993:4).Access of the disabled persons to appropriate services in developing countries is generally inadequate. The estimate of those who get such services is generally less tha n 3 per cent in developing countries (Daniel 1997:4-5). The rehabilitation sector was and still is to a large extent managed and financed by charitable organizations (Helander, 1993:4).
The history of peoples with disabilities in Uganda is not different from other developing countries. Disability is one of the social problems prevalent in Uganda (MOLSA, 1996 6).The rehabilitative services that are available today in Uganda emphasize institutional care, are costly and, therefore greatly limit the number of persons with disabilities who can benefit from them. Worse still, these institutions are very few and concentrated in urban areas and thus exclude the majority of those who need the services (Ibid).
Poverty is both a cause of consequence of disability. In 1999 the World Bank estimated that people with disabilities may account for as many as one in five of the world’s poorest people. A 2005 World Bank study also tentatively concluded that “disability is associated with long-run poverty in the sense that children with disabilities are less likely to acquire the human capital that will allow them to earn higher incomes”, but stressed the need for more research in this area. People in developing countries are more likely to be affected by disability caused by communicable, maternal and perinatal diseases and injuries than people in developed countries. These disabilities are largely preventable. Furthermore conflict often occurs in poorer countries which increases the number of people with disabilities and invariably worsens the delivery of basic services which is likely to impact those with disabilities to a greater degree than others.
The provision of health checks and screening, at least on entry to school, would alert teachers to learners’ special needs, such as poor eyesight, poor hearing, mobility problems, malnutrition, or developmental delay, and may to work together with early childhood services to ensure early interventions to minimise the impact of impairments. Priority for school eye health screening should ideally be given to children on entry into primary school (1st grade), the top class in primary school (5th grade) and in secondary school (8th grade), but if resources are limited, priority can be given to the 5th grade in primary school.
Develop a staged system for the identification and support of children with disabilities. Include support for the preparation of Individual Education Plans (IEPs). VSO’s handbook on how to mainstream disability provides a case study of its work in Kenya which is supporting education assessment and resource centres. In each district they are responsible for assessing children with disabilities’ educational needs, supporting schools to provide appropriate teaching and for referring children for clinical or other services if required. The EFA Global Monitoring Report 2010 cites an example in Ethiopia where, with the support of Handicap International, a school for deaf students operates as both a special school and a resource centre, supporting education for deaf learners in other schools and the development of sign language. Handicap International is also supporting over 85 resources schools in Rwanda through projects funded by Unicef and the EU.
Support global learning on inclusive pedagogy. Alison Croft’s paper, Including disabled children in learning: challenges in developing countries, examines how to ensure that pedagogy is suitable for children with disabilities. It argues that pedagogy can be more inclusive if children with disabilities are involved in planning, that teachers are encouraged to participate in action research and reflective pedagogy and that pedagogy is shared between teachers across contexts.
In Uganda‘s Bushenyi District, work through VSO identified a high proportion of deaf children whose educational needs were not being adequately met. To meet the shortfall, parental involvement in the education of their deaf children was encouraged and developed. Parents have become involved in awareness raising, in supporting teachers and other educationalists and in lobbying for more inclusive education. They have now set up their own community-based organisation called ‘Silent Voices’ to ensure the work continues.
2.2 The individual support systems employed by people with physical disability in order to access employment.
In the past, individuals with disabilities were formally considered liabilities, suffered inhumane treatment, and were often institutionalized away from society (Fewell, 1986). Society’s attitude has changed dramatically in the past 30 years with public acknowledgment of the importance of caring for the handicapped and the constitutional rights for the disabled (Newman, 1983; Rubin &Quinn-Curran, 1983). Several trends such as advances in technology, medical care, mandated services, and mainstreaming the individuals with disabilities back into society rather than placing them into institutions have all helped the disabled live better lives and function in the community. As the prevalence of disabilities continues to rise, so will the need for advocacy and family support.
Children with disabilities need the same kind of love, support, discipline, and direction as other children; however, caring for a disabled child may require additional equipment, home modifications, time, and patience. According to Thompson (2000), children with disabilities need additional items such as special clothing, equipment, communication devices, and bathroom aids. Although children with disabilities may have additional needs, despite their disabilities they are children first (Capper, 1996; Pueschel et al., 1988).
Parents of children with disabilities cope with the same responsibilities and pressures that other parents face; however, one reoccurring theme reported among these parents is the higher amounts of stress they experience and greater demands made by caring for a child with special needs. The everyday tasks of feeding, toileting, traveling, and communicating are much more physically and emotionally demanding for parents who have children with disabilities (Ambert, 1992; Featherstone, 1981).
Today some social ant hropologists have done the cultural analysis of disability. Research in social anthropology move away from clinic towards the community, where individuals and families live with deficits. Cultural assumptions about the body and personhood must be seen in the context of ordinary social interaction. Concerned with adjustment than with therapy, concerned with its long-term consequences than with disease.
2.3 Institutional support structures adopted by people with physical disabilities to cope with employment challenges.
To explore the institutional support structures adopted by people with physical disabilities to cope with employment challenges.
Glasby and Littlechild (2002) and Barnes and Mercer (2006) argue that the beginnings of cash-for-care policy can be traced back to the Poor Law Act of 1601. This “provided an enduring, decentralised basis for distributing relief payments to those in extreme poverty and unable to provide for themselves”
(Barnes and Mercer, 2006, p. 10), including disabled people. Between the 16th Century and 20th Century, with the industrial revolution and the growth of a capitalist economy, a distinction was made between the “”deserving” (or unemployable individuals including sick and infirm people) and “undeserving” (or “able-bodied”) poor deemed capable of employment…” (Barnes and Mercer, 2006, p. 10). The Charity Organisation Society (COS), which Glasby and Littlechild (2002) argue heralds the beginning of social work as a profession, was set up in 1869. Leading COS figures, they say, believed that “poverty was caused by individual and moral failings – by fecklessness and thriftlessness” (Glasby and Littlechild, 2002, p. 5).
By the end of the 19th century, the institutionalisation of disabled people was perceived to be normal and acceptable and the number of asylums rose substantially. The institutionalisation of disabled people continued well into the twentieth century (Table 6.3 in Barnes, 1991b, p. 6, adapted from Fig. 5 in Gray et al., 1988) when there were 422,000 disabled people in residential care and, although significant progress has been made, even today 346,000 disabled people are still in residential care (NHS, 2007, p. v)
Oliver and Sapey (2006) argue that “the current role of social services departments emanate from the Seebohm Report” (p. 8). The Local Authority Social Services Act (LASSA) 1970 established social services departments to take these recommendations forward. In 1970, the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (CSDPA) took forward Seebohm’s recommendations about providing services to disabled people. Section One of the CSDPA 1970 placed a duty on local authorities to find out how many people in their area could benefit from the Act and to provide information about their services to the general public.
Section Two of the Act permits local authorities to provide “practical assistance” for disabled people in their homes as well as support to enable disabled people to live out their lives in the community (Clements, 2004, p. 563).
This chapter describes research methodology that will be used in conducting the study. It includes , research design, the area of study, the study population and sampling design, sources of data, data collection, data collection procedure and instruments, data analysis tools and limitations to the study.
This will adopt a descriptive design in gathering of information on the care and support experiences of people with physical disability in employment sector in adjumani town council, adjumani district. The study will use qualitative and quantitative data. The combined analysis is helpful in that qualitative approach generates rich details and valid data which will contribute to the depth understanding of the research problem. Quantitative approach generates reliable information based on gathering data using numerical figures. Both approaches will complement each other and help reconcile the findings. Case study design will be adopted in order to get personal opinions from respondents.
Adjumani is in the West Nile sub-region, approximately 210 kilometres (130 mi), by road, northeast of Arua, the largest city in the sub-region.[2] This is approximately 460 kilometres (290 mi), north-northwest of Kampala, the capital and largest city of Uganda.[3] The coordinates of the town are 3°22’38.0″N, 31°47’26.0″E (Latitude:3.377222; Longitude:31.790556).
The 2002 national population census estimated the population of Adjumani at 19,900. In 2010, the Uganda Bureau of Statistics estimated the population at 32,600. In 2011, UBOS estimated the mid-year population at 34,700. In August 2014, the national population census put the population at 43,022.
3.3 Study Population
The study will be conducted among People With physical Disabilities (PPDs), family members, NGOs members like lawyers, counselors, disability specialists, and community leaders in Adjumani Town Council, Adjumani District.
3.4 Sample Size
To avoid un-guided generalization, the researcher will choose to sample as suggested by Amin(2005), whosuggestedthatsamplingisimportantinselectingelementsfromapopulationinsuchaway thatthesampleelementsselectedrepresentthepopulation.Theresearcher will use a sample of 40 respondents. The determination of sample will be made in consultation with Amin (2005) who (by help of Kregcie and Morgan,(1970)), suggests the use of a sample table to determine which equivalent sample will ensure representation.
Table 1 Showing Sample Size of Respondents
| Population category | Sample size | Sampling technique |
| Family members | 10 | Simple random sampling |
| People with physical disabilities | 20 | Simple random sampling |
| NGO members | 5 | Purposive sampling |
| Community leaders | 5 | Purposive sampling |
3.5 Sampling Strategies
Purposive sampling and simple random sampling method will be employed in investigating respondents among the NGOs, implying that specific target respondents well known for their services and responsibilities will be selected. Mugenda and Mugenda (2003), argue that it is impossible to study the whole targeted population and therefore the researcher shall take a sample of the population. A sample is a subset of the population that comprises members selected from the population.
3.6 Data collection methods and instrument
3.6.1 Structured Questionnaire
The questionnaire will be used on the basis that the variables under study cannot be observed for instance the views, opinions, perceptions and feelings of the respondents. The questionnaires will be equally used because the information will be collected from a large sample in a short period of time because most respondents can read and write (Sekaran, 2003). Personally administered questionnaires will be used to draw information regarding the the care and support experiences of people with disabilities in employment in Adjumani Town Council, Adjumani District. They will be administered to only members because they are convenient and efficient in the collection of quantitative data. The questionnaires will be open and closed ended. The researcher will choose the questionnaire as an instrument because the study is virtually descriptive and the tool is an easy method of data collection. Respondents respond honestly because of anonymity. It’s also time saving and cost effective.
3.6.2 In-depth interview
This will use interview guide as a research tool that has questions that are either structured used to generate information from respondents in field by the researcher, usually one-on-one between an interviewer and an individual, meant to gather information on a specific set of topics. Interviews can be conducted in person or over the phone. Interviews differ from surveys by the level of structure placed on the interaction (Kumar, 2005).
This method will involve in-depth interviews with key informants (NGOs members, family members, community leaders and family members of people with disability) whereby all the respondents will be asked relatively the same questions to avoid fluctuation of data in the analysis stage.
3.7.1 Reliability
Reliability is the degree to which measures are free from error and therefore yield consistent results that is to say the consistency of a measurement procedure. If a measurement procedure consistently assigns the same score to individuals or variables, the instrument is considered reliable. Reliability involves the consistency, or reproducibility that is to say the information or results that are presented by the researcher can be the same next time the research is done. The instruments will be subjected to pre-testing whereby they will be given to colleagues to read through and determine if there were no inconsistencies, this will be helpful in checking for any inconsistencies in case there is any.
3.7.2Validity
Validity refers to the appropriateness of the instruments while reliability refers to its consistency in measuring whatever it is intended to measure (Malhotra, 2004). A measure is valid if it measures what it is supposed to measure, and does so cleanly – without accidentally including other factors. The focus here is not necessarily on scores or items, but rather inferences made from the instrument. The researcher will ask similar questions to various respondents to ensure reliability of the data collected in the field. Questions that are related will be asked in the data collection instruments to ensure validity of the data to be collected. Editing will be done to ensure accuracy and removal of all the mistakes that may be made in preparing of the questionnaires and in recording responses from the respondents. More so, a pilot study will be done as well as taking the research instruments to the supervisor to read through before going to collect data.
3.8 Data Collection Procedure
The researcher after designing and pre-testing data collection tools will obtain a letter from Kyambogo University introducing her to the organisation. She will then approach the local leaders for permission to collect data from their schools after explaining the purpose of the study. Upon being allowed she will contact some respondents to make appointments. Then she will go back on an appointed date and administer questionnaires. Then questionnaires that are filled that day will be collected, while those that are not complete will be collected later as agreed with respondents. During the time of administering questionnaires, the researcher will also contact key informants, and make appointments with them for an interview. Then she will go back on the agreed dates and conduct interviews, using the interview guide.
3.9 Data Processing and Analysis
Quantitative analysis of raw data will be done. Raw data will take a variety of forms, including measurements, and response from respondents. Tabular and percentage calculations will be used to list questionnaire responses. Analysis and interpretation of the raw data will be based on the responses and opinions. Qualitative and Quantitative data analysis techniques will be used to manipulate data during the analysis phase to draw conclusions. The method will be found ideal in providing the theoretical framework which will be central in the construction of the study.
3.10 Ethical Considerations
According to Leary (2004), ethical issues refer to the integrity in the production of knowledge, as well as the dignity welfare of the researched. He highlights some of the ethical issues which include; respecting of the rights of cultural groups, treating the respondents equitably, getting informed consent from the participants and ensuring confidentiality of the provided information. In order to conduct a successful research study, the following ethical issues will be considered;
The respondents will not be forced to answer questions against their will i.e. participation will be on voluntary basis.
The respondents’ respect will be granted through the presentation of a letter seeking for consent from them to participate in the study.
Confidentiality of whatever information the respondents give will be maintained and respondents will be given an explanation of the purpose of the study so as to find safety in information provision.
The respondents will be given the freedom to withdraw from the participation in the study at any time of their choice.
Anonymity will be also considered so as to avoid typing expressed views to individual identities because it may scare off the potential respondents.
All authors used in the report will be acknowledged for using their work in this research to avoid plagiarism, which is a serious academic crime.
3.11 Anticipated Limitations
Some respondents may be too busy with work related activities hence responding may require persuading respondents to spare some time to answer questionnaires.
Most respondents may be suspicious of spies. But the researcher will try much to explain the academic purposes of the research.
Some respondents may give false information to protect their images. However, the researcher will assure them of the purpose of information to be collected.
Financial constraints may present another challenge to the researcher but the researcher will try her best to make sure she minimizes costs by taking on this research in a relatively short period
