Considering Ableism and Disablism in OSHC

The inclusion of children or young people living with disability in the revised glossary of MTOP V2.0 is significant. It reminds us that disability is part of human diversity and that there are many different kinds of disability and they can result from accidents, illness or genetic disorders. Disability may affect mobility, ability to learn, ability to communicate, or ability to engage with others and with experiences. Some children may have more than one type of disability. A disability may be visible or hidden, may be permanent or temporary and may have minimal or substantial impact on a child’s abilities. These considerations have been invisible or pushed to the fringes in OSHC for too long.

Join us to shine a spotlight on ableism and disablism and how they are ubiquitous in our language, our homes, children’s stories, media, at work and in our daily social interactions. Indeed, ableism and disablism can be so ingrained in our daily lives that most people are unaware of them. This session will:

• Unpack ableism and disablism
• Combat ableism and disablism by:

1. Acknowledging the unconscious biases we all have
2. Being critically reflective
3. Confronting and disrupting the status quo
4. Valuing diverse types of knowledges and experiences

“Accessibility and disability inclusion is everyone’s responsibility and opportunity. This is a movement, not a moment. And it involves all of us.” (People with Disability Australia)

This session is suited to OSHC professionals at all career stages.

NQS: QA1-QA7