An exploration into the perceptions of social inclusion held by Occupational Therapists working with marginalised populations

The promotion of social inclusion, concerning countless marginalised groups, continues to be a priority of the United Kingdom Government policy agendas. The multi-faceted nature of social inclusion makes a definition difficult and has therefore led to considerable disparity between definitions and conceptualisations of the term. However, individuals perspectives point to human connectedness and belonging as being fundamental to feeling included while, similarly, stigma and discrimination were central to feelings of exclusion. Although the closure of institutions in the early 1980's has increased the physical presence of many marginalised groups in the community, over three decades later an alarming amount of literature indicates that many groups on the periphery of society remain absent from the more intimate social and interpersonal relationships that foster feelings of belonging and connection experienced by other members of the community. With professional roots in social justice, Occupational Therapists' core values support the belief that participation can be supported or restricted by physical, social, attitudinal and legislative enviornments. However, the review highlighted a potential gap between the professions theory and practice in relation to Occupational Therapists promoting social inclusion and working towards greater social justice. Therefore, a generic qualitative study is proposed to explore Occupational Therapists' perceptions and interpretations of the meaning of the term social inclusion and what they believe their role to be in its promotion. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted and will be recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed. It is expected that the results of the study will highlight whether future guidance is required to enhance the practice of Occupational Therapy in relation to social inclusion.bsc_occunpub1505_ethesesunpu