Foundations in Social Science, Learning Disability and Social Exclusion - Nursing

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Foundations in Social Science Word Count: 2459 Select a group of individuals who may experience social exclusion. Describe the effects of social exclusion that may affect their health and outline some of the inclusive strategies that are in place to help provide health care to these individuals. As a society and as healthcare professionals it is important to understand how we regard those around us who are often marginalised or excluded. This essay will consider the issues of social exclusion and its effects on people with learning disabilities. The discussion will begin by considering what social exclusion is. It will investigate the effects of social exclusion from four distinct dimensions of exclusion set out by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF, 2000). The dimensions to be considered are exclusion from the labour market, exclusion from adequate income or resources, exclusion from social relations and exclusion from services. It will continue by focussing on how such exclusion places those with learning disabilities at risk and how their health may be affected. Finally it will discuss government strategies, voluntary agencies and health agencies and their aims to be more inclusive in the consideration of those with learning disabilities. Initially, it is useful to gain an understanding of what constitutes as social exclusion. The European Commission (2010 cited by Parodi and Sciulli, 2012) defines social exclusion for the individual as a “…process of marginalisation, leading to economic deprivation and various forms of social and cultural disadvantage”. In order for our society to function as a cohesive structure it seems inevitable that inclusion is dictated by a number of conditions that the greatest population of society considers normal. Thus, social norms are formed which create and enforce particular acceptable behaviours. Those that fall
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