This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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New advice to help disabled
23/11/2006
Recommendations for delivering greater equality for disabled people were published today.
The Disability Working Group's report made 48 recommendations, providing the Executive, local authorities, employers, educators, community care providers and others with suggested approaches to change their actions and attitudes.
Four areas were particularly scrutinised:
Communities Minister Malcolm Chisholm said:
"This report and our response outline a new way forward to re-affirm our commitment to improve the lives of disabled people in Scotland.
"One in five people in Scotland is disabled. It is completely unacceptable that a fifth of our population can be denied the same opportunities as the rest. We all suffer if everyone of us is not able to play our part in our society.
"While not all the recommendations from the Group are for the Executive solely, we must play our part in setting and leading the agenda. I am pleased that for our part we are able to accept many of these wide-ranging recommendations and, using new investment of £1million in the immediate term, we will be working on these with disabled people to secure a fairer future.
"This has been a very comprehensive, important piece of work and I would like to thank all those involved in considering and presenting possible solutions to issues which must be addressed."
Scottish Ministers agreed to establish a strategic Disability Working Group after the European Year of Disabled People (EYDP) in 2003, to build on the achievements of EYDP and help the Executive prioritise its disability equality work. The remit of the Group was to 'establish priorities for the Scottish Executive and partner organisations to promote equality for disabled people in Scotland; and to develop proposals on longer term mechanisms for engagement with the disability sector.'
Bill Campbell who represented Inclusion Scotland on the Strategic Disability Working Group, said:
"The Group's recommendations provide both an agenda for immediate action and platform for the future. The process has drawn on the expertise of a variety of disability organisations, but there are many other organisations and many disabled people with views which still need to be heard. New issues will no doubt emerge and new recommendations will need to be made. Therefore, we hope the outcomes from the report are monitored regularly and that the positive dialogue between the Executive and the disability sector continues to improve the lives of disabled people in Scotland."
Adam Gaines, Scottish Director of the Disability Rights Commission, said:
"It is important that the views and needs of Scotland's one million disabled people are central to government policies and practices. The Disability Working Group report is aimed at offering constructive proposals for mainstreaming opportunities for and the inclusion of disabled people in Scotland in areas ranging from employment to improved access to services.
"The creation of the Working Group has been a very positive step and we believe the implementation of the recommendations in the report will be useful in the taking forward of greater opportunities and participation of disabled people. The DRC looks forward to continuing to work with the Scottish Executive to advance disabled people's rights and create equal citizenship in Scotland"
back to topThe Working Group's recommendations are:
1. Baseline research should be conducted on disabled people's participation in the arts and sport - not just competitive sport but sports in general.
2. Copyright exemption should be extended to cover all those with a print disability.
3. The Scottish Executive, the Enterprise Networks and the Disability Rights Commission should work together, in the context of their disability equality duty, to develop and promote a positive message to all employers about disability.
4. Disability organisations should work with the Scottish Executive and the Enterprise Networks to identify measures of success for employment of disabled people.
5. In consultation with disabled people the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives should review its work to examine where it can play a role with regard to disability.
6. In developing links with business, Further and Higher Education Institutions and Careers Scotland should take on board the need to promote disabled people as employees.
7. The Scottish Executive's strategic group on ethnic minorities in the labour market should consider the needs of disabled people.
8. The Scottish Executive should investigate the effectiveness of regional resources for sign posting disabled people and employers to information, advice and advocacy on disability
9. The work being done by Jobcentre Plus providing financial assessments and employment information to disabled people should be developed and strengthened.
10. The Scottish Executive should develop quality standards for disability equality training and encourage wider take up amongst employers and employees of disability equality training.
11. The Enterprise Networks should consider establishing and maintaining a business award on disability.
12. Work should be undertaken to encourage positive attitudes to disability through a Scottish wide advertising campaign, which includes addressing attitudes to disabled people in employment.
13. A public authority's disability equality scheme should be the responsibility of everyone in the organisation; and leadership from senior management team will be essential.
14. There should be guidance for public authorities on consulting and engaging disabled people.
15. Research should be undertaken, in the context of the disability equality duty, to map the disability sector and understand the capacity of disability organisations to engage with public authorities, including collating of existing materials and databases.
16. Work should be undertaken to build the capacity of disabled people and support their involvement in the implementation of the disability equality duty.
17. The Scottish Executive should promote shared or joint approaches by public authorities to local or regional engagement and involvement of disabled people.
18. The Scottish Executive, audit and inspection bodies and the Disability Rights Commission should consider a framework for auditing of the disability equality duty.
19. The implementation of the report of the Disability Working Group should be reviewed after two years and a progress report published.
20. The Scottish Executive should develop practical guidance on inclusive communication and consultation; establish a website of good practice on consultation; develop and promote inclusive communication environments; and provide a gateway to existing sources of expertise.
21. The Scottish Executive should implement and promote the Scottish Accessible Information Forum standards.
22. The 'Fair for All' project should continue to ensure that its work on the access needs of disabled people in relation to the NHS includes communication support needs of all types.
23. Scottish Executive and public authority public information work should be fully accessible including to those with communication support needs.
24. The research on DET commissioned by the Equal Opportunities Committee needs to be assessed by disabled people, gaps and issues need to be identified and further research undertaken as necessary.
25. Standards and/or accreditation for disability equality training should be developed.
26. Disabled people should be encouraged to become disability equality trainers
27. Initial education and training and continuing professional development across the public sector should incorporate mandatory disability equality training, including on communication support needs.
28. HMIE should work in partnership with disabled people, including disabled children and young people, and disability organisations to develop indicators of good practice.
29. All disabled people should receive appropriate and adequate support and equipment throughout school, further and higher education and at all points of transition such as the transition from school to post school.
30. Further and higher education institutions should involve disabled people through student consultation panels and inspection bodies should monitor progress.
31. Disabled people should be encouraged to take up careers in the educational sector and retention of disabled employees should be encouraged.
32. The Scottish Executive, audit and inspection bodies and the Disability Rights Commission should consider developing a framework for auditing of the disability equality duty.
33. The Scottish Executive should lead by example and make a clear statement of commitment to equality of opportunity for disabled people.
34. A campaign should be undertaken by the Scottish Executive to challenge negative attitudes towards disabled people and promote equality of opportunity.
35. The Scottish Executive should review and promote the use of materials used in schools on disability and citizenship; including reviewing the availability of, and access to, advice and guidance for young disabled people on what to do if they experience discrimination.
36. Accrediting bodies for the professions should include disability equality training.
37. Demonstrable knowledge and implementation of the DED should be a key competence within staff performance management in the public sector in Scotland.
38. Targets for disabled people in public appointments should be reviewed and the Scottish Executive should lead by example in promoting the public appointment of disabled people.
39. The Scottish Executive should agree and publish a set of principles, based on the social model of disability, that underpins the work of all departments. Such a set of principles will be developed in partnership with an advisory group of disabled people.
40. The Scottish Executive should consult disabled people to ascertain the best way to support independent living nationwide.
41. Research on care and support services for disabled people should be reviewed and where gaps are identified further research should be commissioned, including participatory action research if appropriate.
42. In order to ensure effective delivery of the public sector disability equality duty, disabled people should be engaged both proactively and effectively in the design and implementation of care and support services
43. The disabled person should be a full partner in the decision-making processes of her/ his care management. An independent and trained advocacy service should be available if required by the disabled person in order to facilitate this process.
44. The Scottish Executive should support independent advocacy services for disabled people nationwide, including independent peer advocacy.
45. The participation by disabled people at all levels of public life should be promoted and resourced.
46. The Scottish Executive should give consideration to free prescriptions for people with chronic illness.
47. The Scottish Executive should consider how best the fuel poverty scheme can cover disabled people, including families with disabled children.
48. The Scottish Executive should undertake research to examine the information and advice needs of disabled people, the range of existing information provided and how access to information and advice might be improved.
The UK Disability Equality Duty comes into effect on 4 December 2006. It introduces a new duty on the public sector to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people and is designed to lead to better service provision from the public sector, more positive attitudes towards disabled people and greater participation by disabled people in public life.
The 2001/2002 Scottish Household Survey estimated that just under one in five adults in Scotland have a disability and/or a long term illness.
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