UK Disability History Month (UKDHM) was set up in 2010 to create a platform from which a focus on the history of Disabled people's struggles for equality and human rights could be highlighted and advanced through education.
The theme of this year’s UKDHM looks at how disability, health and wellbeing hasn’t been addressed historically and how most recently the COVID-19 pandemic disproportionally affected Disabled people over the general public. We know there’s still so much more we can do to make our profession, our organisation and our world a better place for people with disabilities/long-term health conditions.
Between 16 November and 16 December 2022, we'll be promoting and sharing the writings of several members of AbleOTUK across our social media, website and in the November edition of OTnews. We'll be looking at how UK Disability History Month came about, the meaning behind it and what it hopes to achieve, people’s journeys into occupational therapy and the ‘spoon theory’.
AbleOTUK, is a network and advocacy group for occupational therapy practitioners, students, researchers, educators and people with lived experiences of disabilities/long-term health conditions. We've collaborated with them on the content that will be put out across Disability History Month, and we look forward to promoting the amazing work they’ve done and will continue to do during and after this month.
Whilst there is an image/flag that’s used widely for Disability Pride Month, in July, no established imagery has been determined widely for Disability History Month. And so, it was decided with AbleOTUK, that the ‘O’ in our RCOT logo won't be changed this month.
We want to let you know that we deeply value our members and colleagues with disabilities/long-term health conditions and that we think you’re wonderful. We will continue to work towards a more equitable, supportive profession and world.