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chapter three: involvement of disabled people in the development of the scheme

Background

3.1 The Scottish Executive has long recognised that the involvement of disabled people is key to delivering disability equality and to developing our scheme. We also recognised that finding a mechanism for this involvement would be challenging. The involvement of disabled people needs to be influential, particularly in shaping departmental action plans and there was no pre-existing structure that would deliver this across the whole of the organisation.

3.2 We approached the involvement of disabled people in a number of ways. We wanted to build on existing relationships with disabled people and disability organisations that have been influencing Scottish Executive policy for a number of years. However, we also recognised the importance of reaching beyond existing relationships and involving disabled people who have not in the past engaged with Government. Further underpinning our work with disabled people was our understanding that involvement needed to be proportionate and meaningful.

3.3 Taking account of a broad range of views on disability, including the views of disabled people from rural communities, minority ethnic communities and young people was also important to us; and reaching disabled people with a broad range of impairments was another significant consideration. This presented particular challenges and our plans for developing our work on involvement are discussed further in chapter 4.

Our approach to involvement

3.4 Our approach to involving disabled people in the development of the disability equality scheme has therefore followed a number of routes:

• a strategic disability working group;
• direct engagement with national grassroots disability organisations and, through them, disabled people;
• harnessing the expertise of our own disabled staff;
• building on existing relationships with disabled people across departments and working in partnership to develop policies; and
• looking ahead at ways of supporting meaningful involvement across the Scottish Executive during the life of the scheme.

Strategic disability working group

3.5 The disability working group was established at the request of Scottish Ministers at the end of 2004. It reported in November 2006.

3.6 The membership of the group included organisations of and for disabled people as well as a number of other public sector organisations including Scottish Enterprise and CoSLA. Many of the individuals who participated were disabled people.

3.7 The remit of the group was to 'establish priorities for the Scottish Executive and partner organisations to promote equality for disabled people in Scotland'. One of the strands of work undertaken by the group was specifically in relation to the disability equality duty and a number of specific recommendations were made on this. However, all of the group's recommendations contribute to how the Scottish Executive is responding to the new duty.

3.8 A meeting was held with the disability working group to discuss the development of the Executive's disability equality scheme and this along with the report of the disability working group has informed the final scheme. Although helpful, we recognised that the disability working group did not represent a full or effective involvement of disabled people in the development of the Scottish Executive's disability equality scheme. We therefore sought to complement the group's input and report with a range of actions working directly with disabled people in order to reach a broader field of views and to focus more specifically on the scheme itself.

Work with national grassroots disability organisations

3.9 The Executive has been supporting two national grassroots disability organisations since 2002 - Inclusion Scotland and the Scottish Disability Equality Forum. This has included providing funding for these organisations to reach disabled people and local disability groups across the country.

3.10 Both organisations arranged events for the Scottish Executive to meet directly with disabled people to discuss the disability equality duty and the development of the Scottish Executive's disability equality scheme. These events took place on 6 September 2006 in Glasgow and 12 September in Dunblane. These two events were attended by around 60 disabled people from across the country, including participants from Orkney, Sutherland, Dumfries and Galloway, Aberdeen, Fife, Glasgow, Ayrshire and Edinburgh.

3.11 The Scottish Executive has also been working with the Scottish Council on Deafness ( SCoD) on a range of actions to support people who are Deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing. SCoD organised an event for us to engage with these communities on 27 September 2006 in Glasgow. This was attended by around 30 people from across the country.

3.12 In addition to the events, a proforma was sent out via the organisations' newsletters and disabled people were invited to submit written answers to a number of questions about the development of the Scottish Executive's scheme. A total of 24 completed proformas were returned.

3.13 A further meeting with disabled people then took place on 7 November to look in more detail at the shape of the Scottish Executive scheme and further prioritise action across departments. This meeting was held in Edinburgh and was attended by disabled people who had participated in the earlier events. Our events with disabled people were called 'Get Involved'.

Work with disabled staff

3.14 The Scottish Executive has an active staff disability network. This was set up following the introduction of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. In order to benefit from the knowledge and experience of our disabled staff we held an event with them on 23 June to discuss the disability equality duty and the development of the Scottish Executive's disability equality scheme. In addition, a proforma was sent out to the network inviting members to submit written answers to a number of questions about the development of the Scottish Executive's scheme. Staff were invited to contribute their views as employees on staff employment matters and, as disabled people, on broader disability equality issues. Fifteen disabled staff attended the event and 11 staff returned the proforma.

Existing relationships which shape policy

3.15 The Scottish Executive has, for many years, been working with disabled people across departments to help to inform policy. Examples include the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (which advises Scottish Ministers on transport issues for disabled people) and Fair for All: Disability (which informs Health Department policy). There are many other groups, structures and relationships and some of these are mentioned in the departmental action plans later in this document.

The outcome of involvement - influencing the scheme

3.16 The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of responding to disabled people's views. In developing our scheme, we used the outcome of our engagement with disabled people to influence the style, structure and content of the scheme and, crucially, to shape priorities for action.

Strategic Disability Working Group

3.17 The disability working group has directly shaped Scottish Executive policy making. The group made recommendations for action to help to deliver the disability equality duty and the Executive will fund this activity over the next 3 years.

3.18 The group made 48 recommendations and a number of these were aimed specifically at supporting the implementation of the disability equality duty at a national level in Scotland. The Scottish Executive has accepted these recommendations and will, over the 3-year life span of the disability equality scheme, deliver the following actions:

• leadership from senior management within the Executive to embed the disability equality duty;
• produce guidance for public authorities on consulting and engaging disabled people;
• undertake research, 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;
• undertake work to build the capacity of disabled people and support their involvement in the implementation of the disability equality duty;
• promote shared or joint approaches by public authorities to local or regional engagement and involvement of disabled people; and
• work with audit and inspection bodies and the Disability Rights Commission to consider a framework for auditing of the disability equality duty.

3.19 The Executive's full response to the group's report was published alongside the report in November 2006 with a commitment of £1 million to deliver an immediate response to the recommendations.

Work with national grassroots disability organisations

3.20 We worked with national grassroots disability organisations to run our 'Get Involved' events. A report of the issues raised at the events with disabled people was issued to Scottish Executive departments along with guidance on developing departmental action plans. Departments were asked to use this material to help them identify policy priorities.

3.21 The outcome of this is reflected in the departmental action plans which include action prioritised by disabled people - for example, to promote positive images of disability and raise awareness (see the Finance and Central Services Department action plan on page 46, and the Development Department action plan on page 74), to improve transport accessibility (see the Transport Scotland action plan on pages 208-213) and to support independent advocacy (see the Health Department action plan on page 167).

3.22 Disabled people attending the 'Get Involved' events also identified a range of strategic priorities which would be essential for an effective delivery of the disability equality scheme. These priorities are very similar to some of those identified by the disability working group. It is worth noting that of the 90 or so disabled people who participated at the four events held during September - November 2006, perhaps less than five had been involved in the work of the disability working group.

3.23 These strategic priorities identified by disabled people include:

• Disability Equality Training
• Accessible Communication
• Awareness, Media and Imagery

3.24 The Scottish Executive will deliver a programme of work over the next 3 years in relation to each of these.

Action on strategic priorities identified by disabled people

Work with disabled staff

3.25 In developing the scheme, the issues raised by disabled staff centre around three areas: the working environment; promoting positive attitudes and being involved in HR decision making. We have considered all of the individual points raised and it was good to note that many of the specific points raised had already been actioned by the Executive, or were in hand, although, clearly, there was still more work to be done.

3.26 Changes had already been made to the reasonable adjustment process and facilities for breaks from the work area are provided in most buildings, although further work will be necessary to ensure that all of our IT systems are compatible with the assistive technology used by staff and our corporate templates are in an accessible format. Training provision is currently being addressed, with plans for a dedicated equalities trainer. The environmental issues raised will also be considered through employee survey responses from disabled staff.

3.27 A programme of internal outreach and awareness raising is ongoing and some information has already been provided to staff on specific disabilities, both through lunchtime seminars and our diversity intranet pages. This work will continue and further engagement will take place with disabled staff to ensure that that we are providing the information and advice that they require. Some of the issues raised were outwith the remit of the Executive as an employer, but we will consider alternative ways in which the information requested can be made available, e.g. through web-site links.

3.28 Since its inception, the Executive's Diversity Team has had a mutually beneficial relationship with the staff Disability Network and its members. The Network has acted as a sounding board for a range of HR policies, influencing both the content of the policies and providing inspiration for future action areas. This role has both directly and indirectly influenced the scheme, in setting past priorities and in highlighting those that still need to be addressed. Steps have now been taken to ensure that all of our under-represented groups, including disabled staff, are actively included in our HR policy review process. We have also invited an external disabled person with a significant depth of experience in disability issues to become a member of our Diversity Forum and to bring an additional perspective to the Executive's diversity agenda.

Existing relationships which shape policy

3.29 Many departments have existing relationships with disabled people through advisory groups, committees and events. Some of these relationships have helped to shape the content of the disability equality scheme. For example, Fair for All - Disability, the Health Department's strategic partnership with the Disability Rights Commission ( DRC), has worked with disabled people and NHS staff to develop a shared vision that improved access to health provision for disabled people cannot be led by legislation alone. This work has shaped the Health Department's contribution to the disability equality scheme.

Reviewing involvement and moving forward

3.30 Involvement means more than consultation. It means taking a new approach that reflects disabled people's priorities in setting agendas. If involvement is meaningful it will empower disabled people and policy makers alike. While we have made a good start, we recognise that our approach has not delivered effective and meaningful involvement in a consistent way to inform all departmental and other actions plans. The next chapter sets out how we plan to address this and to develop our work on involvement over the life of the scheme.

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