ADP daily living component activity 9 - engaging socially with other people face to face

Introduction

This chapter provides information on activity 9 of the daily living component of Adult Disability Payment (ADP).

This chapter should be read and applied in line with the overview of decision making chapter and the daily living component introduction.

What activity 9 covers

Daily living component activity 9 considers all aspects of an individual’s ability to engage socially with other people face-to face which includes:

• interacting face-to-face in a contextually and socially appropriate manner
• understanding body language
• maintaining their own and others’ safety
• establishing relationships

Daily living component activity 9 encompasses all durations of social engagement, whether the relationship established lasts 10 minutes, 10 days or 10 years. It should be considered in the context of everyday activities in which social and verbal interaction is required.

Consideration should be given to whether an individual can engage with people generally, regardless of gender, not just people they know well or for a limited purpose.

Where an individual is able to engage with family members but is unable to engage with people they do not know this should not be considered to be engaging to an acceptable standard.

A friendship does not need to be established in order for someone to be considered to be engaging socially.

Activities 7 and 9 are often linked

Daily living component activities 7 and 9 may often be linked. If an individual requires support to engage with others under daily living component activity 9, as well as communication support under daily living component activity 7, then their needs should be considered under both activities. 

For example, an individual with needs relating to a sensory condition under daily living component activity 7 may also have diagnosed anxiety arising from their condition that means they also reasonably need help to engage socially with others face to face.

Individuals with significant sensory conditions, particularly those with dual sensory loss, may be likely to have difficulties with social engagement as a result of their condition.

Consider these things

Vulnerability to the actions of others should be considered. For example, an individual with a cognitive condition or learning disability may have less risk awareness. They may be considered vulnerable to manipulation or abuse by other people.

Behaviour which may result in a risk of harm to an individual or another person should be considered to be as a result of an underlying health condition and the individual’s inability to control their behaviour.

An inability to engage face to face should be considered to be due to the impact of an individual’s condition(s) and not a matter of preference.

Where, as a result of past intervention, an individual is now able to engage with other people to an acceptable standard and without further help, then the individual is unlikely to need support for face-to-face engagement.

What activity 9 does not cover

Daily living component activity 9 does not usually consider a restriction in engaging in a specific social situation such as not being able to talk to people in a club or bar, where engagement is not usually restricted in other social situations. However, it may be appropriate to take specific situations into consideration in certain circumstances.

Daily living component activity 9 descriptors

The daily living component activity 9 descriptors describe 4 levels of functional ability to complete the activity.

A. Can engage socially with other people unaided.

B. Needs prompting to be able to engage socially with other people.

C. Needs social support to be able to engage socially with other people.

D. Cannot engage socially with other people due to such engagement causing either:

       i.  overwhelming psychological distress to the individual; or

       ii. the individual to exhibit behaviour which would result in a substantial risk of harm to the individual or another person (ADP regs, Schedule 1 Part 2 -  Daily Living Activities, Activity (9))

Consider need for prompting

You’ll consider if the individual needs prompting from another person to complete the activity.

‘Prompting’ means reminding, encouraging or explaining by another person. This does not have to be in the physical presence of the individual.