Mabel Cooper's Life Story Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mabel Cooper's Life Story - Essay Example ‘Mabel Cooper’s Life Story’ is a heroic tale of a very determined individual who survived in society against all odds. Qs. 1. Discrimination and stigmatization that Mabel encountered during her life Mabel was born to a poor and homeless mother on the 10th of August, 1944 in Islington, London, but was moved into care when she was just four months old. Thereafter, her childhood was spent in different care schools and finally she was moved to St. Lawrence Hospital, Surrey, where she spent the next 20 years of her life. Mabel was discriminated and stigmatized because she had a learning disability and had never been to school and moreover she had a very poor background history. Mabel was told that she was not capable enough to study and so was put in a ward where they learned basket making. They also had the option of working in the laundry or workshops or even remain idle if they wished. A learning disability proved to be a real setback for Mabel and besides not being allowed to go to school, she was also not allowed to use her own clothes or shoes but had to make do with the ones given by the hospital. Though dances were conducted on the premises, they were again segregated with males on one side and females on the other. There were a good number of staff and they had to dance in between them. Mabel and her friends were discriminated from society by not being allowed to go out and mix with the regular people. Money in the form of green coins were given to them but it could only be used in their own hospital canteens and not outside. People who ran away were brought back and put in a ward called G3 where they were locked up as punishment. In this manner people with learning disabilities were discriminated and segregated from society in contemporary Britain. 2. Explain the concept of 'social role valorization' and describe how you would ensure Mabel becomes a valued member of the community. Banks, S (2001) in the book, ‘Ethics and Values in Social Work’ sheds light on the contribution of social workers in fulfilling the concept of ‘social role valorization’. Broadly speaking, people with learning difficulties are looked down upon and discriminated by society for the mere reason that they are much less productive and very little use to the community and society at large. 'Social role valorization' (SRV) is defined as  "The application of what science can tell us about the enablement, establishment, enhancement, maintenance, and/or defense of valued social roles for people" (Wolfensberger, 1995a). The primary goal of SRV is lending support to people in society so as to enable them to enjoy all the good things that society has got to offer. Some of these good things are love and friendship, respect and dignity, acceptance and belonging, good education and status in the society. In the case of people with learning disabilities, it becomes impossible for them to find a valued place in society since th ey are not in a position to contribute to their community and society and automatically become devalued members of society. Hence being devalued members of society, they are not in a position to enjoy the good things in life. On the other hand, such members are rejected by their community and society, and thereby receive a lot of negative responses and in most cases become objects of abuse and violence. SRV is a response to such groups of devalued members and lends great support in helping them to become