Hidden Dis

The NUS SWD Campaign is committed to campaigning and fighting for equal human and civil rights for all students with disabilities. Yet not all disabilities are obvious. Part of the NUS SWD Campaign is focused upon raising awareness and campaigning for hidden disabilities. Hidden or invisible disabilities are physical or mental impairments that are not readily apparent to others. Around 70% of people who have a disability in this country have a hidden disability. This briefing will give you any idea of different hidden disabilities, ways to campaign and organisations you can work with.

Types of hidden disabilities - these are just a few:

• Asthma: More than 3 million people have asthma in the UK.
• Mental ill health: It is estimated that 1 in 4 people will experience mental ill health.
• Epilepsy: 1 in 200 people in the UK has epilepsy. It is a neurological condition characterised by seizures that happen when the electrical system of the brain malfunctions.
• Diabetes: The number of people with diabetes is increasing. Diabetes is an illness which occurs as a result of problems with the production and supply of insulin in the body.
• Autism: Autistic spectrum disorders are estimated to touch the lives of over 500,000 families throughout the UK.
• Arthritis: An estimated 8 million people have arthritis in the UK.
• Multiple Sclerosis: People with MS may tire more quickly than other people, and in more serious cases the sense of balance, co-ordination may be affected to varying degrees.
• Dyslexia: The BDA estimates that 4% of the UK population is severely dyslexic. Others estimate that 1 in 10 of the population has some form of dyslexia. Difficulties range from severe problems with literacy to less obvious difficulties, such as short term memory loss, sequencing & organising information.
• Dyspraxia: Developmental dyspraxia is an impairment or immaturity of the organisation of movement. This affects the way in which the brain processes information, resulting in messages not being properly or fully transmitted.
• HIV/AIDS: People with HIV/AIDS have impaired immune systems so their bodies have trouble fighting off infections.
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The social model of disability rests on the way which society treats disabled people, in other words people with impairments are disabled through the prejudiced attitudes of society. But what happen if a students can ‘pass’ for a non-disabled person. Are the problems faced any fewer or is there a whole new set of difficult issues to discover?

Not being perceived as disabled might be of benefit for the student as they avoid being labelled, but on the other hand a lack of awareness only adds to the difficulties that the student faces They might not want to disclose or consider themselves disabled, and therefore not access the funding and resources that they are entitled to.

One of the major problems faced by students who have hidden disabilities is that often other people don’t believe them. They are told that they don’t look like they are disabled. For many students they feel that the foremost discrimination anyone faces is to be disbelieved. Hidden disabilities can also cause difficulties because of the attitude of others due to fear or ignorance. People fear what they do not know or understand or what they can not see. It is through active campaigning and raising awareness that we can create a society where students with hidden disabilities feel that they can disclose without fear or prejudice or discrimination.

Students with Disabilities are individuals with hobbies, family, friends, likes, dislikes, problems and joys. While the disability is an integral part of who they are, it alone does not define them. Do not make them into disability heroes or victims. Treat them as individuals. They are the best judge of what they can or can not do. Don’t make decisions for them about participating in any activity.          Back to top

• The Disability Discrimination Act creates rights for disabled people.
• Its main focus is on defining who is disabled (part one of the act) employment (part 2 of the act), access to goods and services (part 3 of the act) and education (part 4 of the act).
• Students’ Unions can not afford to be complacent and wait for education institutions to act first to eliminate disability discrimination, or for individual students with disabilities to make complaints about discrimination in education provision.
• A person is protected under the Disability Discrimination Act if they come under the terms disabled according to the DDA. The DDA says you are a disabled person if you have ‘a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial & long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day to day activities. This can include people with sensory impairments, learning disabilities, cancer, HIV, progressive conditions at the early stage, mental health impairments, conditions which are characterised by a number of cumulative effects such as pain or fatigue.
• You do not have to register as a disabled person to be protected by the legalisation.
• The DDA describes discrimination as ‘Treating a disabled person less favourably that you would treat someone without a disability, for a reason relating to his or her disability’ or failing to make a ‘reasonable adjustment’.
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• Is there a recognised and accessible support structure for students with hidden disabilities?
• Are there policies in place with regard to hidden disabilities?
• What is the institution doing about the Disability Discrimination Act and how are they including students with hidden disabilities?
• Do an audit of the institution services (look at accessibility, marketing etc.)
• How well advertised is funding support like the Disabled Student Allowance for students with hidden disabilities?
• Is there accessible information in conjunction with a source of support & advice?
• How proactive is the institution about hidden disabilities and campaigning and raising awareness?
• See if there is funding for hidden disability projects.
• Do committees within the institution have hidden disabilities as a regular agenda item?
• Are hidden disabilities included in staff and student induction programmes?
• How well publicised is it that students with hidden disabilities have their rights protected under Disability Discrimination Act?
• Does the institution gather opinions of students with disabilities?
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• Work in partnership with disability co-ordinator, head of students services etc.
• Campaign to have disability policy in institution and Students’ Union
• Do hidden disability training that includes students doing the training
• Get a Students with Disabilities Officer/ committee/group within your Students’ Union
• Ensure that your Unions’ standard information is available in formats other than standard print.
• Get students to run awareness campaigns, it will give them a sense of ownership.
• Work with local organisations & charities on the different awareness days or groups
(see list of dates below)
• Establish peer mentor & support groups.
• Have student representation on disability groups within institution.
• Gather the opinions of students with disabilities to see what their thoughts are and if anything needs changing or campaigning for.
• Get email networks going.
• Hold hidden disability training for all those involved in Students’ Union including Exec Members, staff, bar staff, volunteers, club & society Presidents, and sport Captains.
• Hold quizzes.
• Do a "Who has the disability?" awareness campaign with posters, flyers etc.
• Get student campaigners to bspeak out in lectures etc. or make a film about hidden disabilities to be shown in your institution.
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• July 7th - Dyspraxia Awareness Day
• September 17th - 24th - National Eczema Week
• September 25th - Day for Autism
• October 10th - World Mental Health Day
• October 22nd -International Stammering Awareness Day
• November 7th - 13th - Dyslexia Awareness Week
• November 14th- World Diabetes Day
• December 1st - World AIDS Day
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