Background paper to Disability Working Group, Core Group Meeting, 28 November 2005
CONSIDERATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
1. This paper sets out the draft recommendations which have been made by each of the 4 satellite groups. It includes details of satellite group membership and a brief account of how they approached their task.
Areas for further consideration
2. Following some of the recommendations comments are included on whether the recommendation raises issues which will need further clarification, for example, whether they might be happening anyway, or whether they may be reserved. Some further investigation might therefore be needed before some recommendations can be signed off. There are however only a small number of these.
Further recommendations?
3. Following the recommendations from each of the satellite groups there is some discussion of whether further recommendations might be useful. For all groups there were some issues which appear to have been raised in discussions and/ or papers, but which do not appear to have resulted in any recommendation. That is not to say that there is any obligation to make recommendations on any or all of these and there may be very good reasons why no recommendation was forthcoming. It may be that the only recommendation that can be made at this time is that more work needs to be done on X. However, if no recommendation is made in a key area, it may send out the message that nothing needs to be done (which may not be true). Given this is such an important opportunity to influence the agenda for the Scottish Executive and others, hopefully the discussion will help to ensure that nothing that the DWG would want to include accidentally gets missed (nb papers and minutes of the first 3 meetings are to be found on
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/disability/dwgpapers if you want to refer to them.)
Disability Working Group - Satellite Group 1
Employment
Membership
Teri Devine, RNID Scotland (Chair)
Gillian Lawrence, Disability Rights Commission
Linda Long, Sense Scotland
Padam Singh, Scottish Enterprise
Ian Sneddon, Scottish Disability Equality Forum
Fiona Stewart, Scottish Council on Deafness
Jan Anderson, Communication Impairment Action Group
Chris White, SAMH
Ian Montgomery, STUC
David Thomson, Scottish Executive: Equality Unit
Joe Dowd, Scottish Executive: Transitions to Work
Meetings
The group met on 23 May, 28 June, 22 August, 3 October and 24 October.
Approach
The group sought background material on a range of issues, from the two ticks disability symbol to international models of promoting employment for disabled people. It also obtained information on the work of other groups currently looking at the issues including the DRC's employment reference group. It met with Deep Sagar of the Glasgow Employer Coalition to discuss work which they had undertaken to promote employment in Glasgow. It then developed its recommendations towards the end of the process, drawing on earlier discussions and papers.
Group 1 Recommendations
Draft Recommendation That disability equality training should be more widely available and that employers should be encouraged to take it up. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | Research/review of DET - availability, standards, barriers to take up. |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive should consider establishing a business award on disability |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | Work with Scottish Business Awards |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
In time to be part of next round of Scottish Business Awards? | | |
|
Draft Recommendation That work should be undertaken to challenge negative attitudes to disability including an advertising campaign |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive. | Media campaign | Research needed to inform any campaign work. Advisory Group might be helpful . |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Decision made by end of 2006? | | |
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Draft Recommendation That Jobcentre Plus provide accurate financial assessments of the benefits and implications of employment, including benefits, difficulties and responsibilities clients will face. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Jobcentre Plus | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That employment advice agencies should include clear and consistent messages about disability in their initial contacts with employers |
Who: | What: | How: |
Employment advice agencies, DRC, Scottish Executive | | Clear guidance |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Guidance provided by the end of 2006? | | |
Possible gaps
Looking through the papers and minutes, it seems there was a lot of high quality discussion which covered a huge amount of ground, but that conclusions do not always appear to have been framed into recommendations. Possible issues where recommendations could be made are under the rough headings below. This is not to say that recommendations should be made in all of these areas. However, given this is such an important opportunity to influence the agenda for the Scottish Executive and others, it would be good to make the most of it.
Satellite Group 1 is therefore looking further at the issues and we will provide an update on 28 November.
Potential areas for further recommendations:
- Engaging employers
- Identifying and promoting good practice
- Health and work issues
- Young people and how employment can be promoted
- Issues for disabled people from BME backgrounds
- Infrastructure and information needs
Disability Working Group - Satellite Group 2
Public sector duty to promote disability equality; mainstreaming disability equality; corporate responsibility; engaging public authorities
Membership
David Thomson, Scottish Executive Equality Unit (Chair)
Lewis Morrison, West Dunbartonshire Council
Joyce Wilson, Sense Scotland
Carol Chamberlain, Scottish Human Services Trust
Maggie Williams, RNID Scotland
Lynn Waddell, Fair for All
Kim Hartley, Communication Impairment Action Group
Heather Fiskin, Disability Rights Commission
Bill Campbell, Inclusion Scotland
Sandra MacDougall, SAMH
Gordon MacRae, Leonard Cheshire
Iain Montgomery, STUC
Stephanie Miller, Update
Sheila Williams, Capability Scotland
Karen Martin, Scottish Executive: Civic Participation
Elaine Sosinka, Scottish Executive: Public Service Performance
Graeme Bryce, Scottish Executive: Equality Unit
Meetings
The group met on 23 May, 30 June, 24 August, 27 September and 27 October.
Approach
The group sought a range of background papers covering issues such as mainstreaming, the public sector disability equality duty, activity on disability in the Scottish public sector and the roles and functions of audit and inspection bodies. It also had a discussion with Ali Jarvis, current Director of the Commission for Racial Equality in Scotland, to discuss learning from the race equality duty. It developed its recommendations at its last 2 meetings after taking stock of the information and discussion that had taken place since May.
Group 2 Recommendations
Draft Recommendation That there should be guidance for public authorities on involving and engaging disabled people [Comment - DRC planning this anyway. Is there a need to recommend it?] |
Who: | What: | How: |
DRC, Scottish Executive | Publish guidance | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Before June 2006?? | Guidance available and widely used | Need to ensure guidance is clear on involving disabled ethnic minorities, women, older people, young people, gay and lesbian people and people of different religions. |
|
Draft Recommendation That research should be undertaken to map the disability sector and understand the capacity of disability organisations to engage with public bodies, including collating existing materials and databases. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Commissioned by Scottish Executive | Research project | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
To report by end of 2006?? | | Map, if possible, diversity within the disability sector and identify issues, barriers and good practice. |
|
Draft Recommendation That work should be undertaken to build the capacity of disabled people and support their involvement in the implementation of the disability equality duty. |
Who: | What: | How: |
All public authorities who are required to publish a scheme must involve disabled people in developing the scheme. | | (May to an extent be dependent on outcome of the previous recommendation?) |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| Empowerment of disabled people. More disabled people are able to become involved and influence decision making. | Particular measures may be needed to address multiple discrimination and multiple exclusion. |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive should promote shared approaches by public authorities to engagement and consultation with disabled people. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | Map current approaches and identify what works and how. |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Throughout 2006 and beyond | | Inclusive approaches should be promoted. |
|
Draft Recommendation That public authorities' disability equality schemes should be the responsibility of a member of the senior management team or equivalent directly responsible to the chief executive officer. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Public authorities | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation The Scottish Executive, audit and inspection bodies and the Disability Rights Commission should consider a framework for auditing of the disability equality duty. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive, audit and inspection bodies and the Disability Rights Commission | | Establish working group? |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
By end of 2006? | | Consider how race and gender duties are covered |
|
Possible gaps
The following are issues around which recommendations might have been made but appear not to have been made. This is not to say that recommendations should be made in these areas. However, given this is such an important opportunity to influence the agenda for the Scottish Executive and others, it would be good to make the most of it.
Mainstreaming
There is perhaps scope for a specific recommendation on disability equality mainstreaming. This could potentially cover:
- Developing case-studies of successful mainstreaming?
- Systematic research on experiences of policy leaders, local government etc
Disability Working Group - Satellite Group 3
Communication; consultation; education and training; citizenship; disability equality training; public attitudes.
Membership:
Christopher Crockett, Inclusion Scotland (Chair)
Lionel Long, Update
Euan Page, Disability Rights Commission
Sheila Williams, Capability Scotland
Stuart Aitken, Sense Scotland
Kate Wallace, SAMH
Lilian Lawson, Scottish Council on Deafness
Margaret Hurcombe, Scottish Accessible Information Forum
Kim Hartley, Communication Impairment Action Group
Graeme Bryce, Scottish Executive: Equality Unit
Claire Keggie, Scottish Executive: Student Inclusion and Access
Vikki Milne, Scottish Executive: Civic Participation Research
Karen Martin, Scottish Executive: Civic Participation Policy
Sandra Manning, Scottish Executive: Additional Support Needs
Meetings
Group 3 met on 23 May, 23 June, 24 August, 30 September and 28 October.
Approach
At it's meeting on 23 May the group agreed that background papers were needed on a large number of issues including disability equality training, citizenship, tackling public attitudes and current Scottish Executive activity in areas such as education and civic participation. Papers were produced for the 23 June meeting and discussed in some detail. At this meeting the group agreed to structure its approach as follows: - to consider consultation and communication in August, education and training in September and citizenship and attitudes in October. For each meeting a preparatory paper was tabled setting out issues and prompting discussion on potential recommendations.
Group 3 Recommendations
Draft Recommendation That 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 information |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive. | Publish guidance, establish website | Through working in partnership with disabled people and disability organisations |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Before June 2006 | Guidance available and widely used | Need to ensure guidance is clear on communicating with disabled ethnic minorities, women, older people, young people, gay and lesbian people and people of different religions. |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive should implement and promote the SAIF standards |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Throughout 2006 and ongoing | More organisations know about SAIF standards and adopt them. | |
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Draft Recommendation That the 'Fair for All' project should ensure that its work on the access needs of disabled people in relation to the NHS includes communication impairments of all types [comment - Fair for All will be doing this anyway, so is this recommendation needed?] |
Who: | What: | How: |
'Fair for All' | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That Scottish Executive and public authority media work should be fully accessible including to those with communication impairment |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive and public authorities | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Incremental throughout 2006 and beyond. | | |
|
Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive should support a symposium to consider issues around accessible digital curriculum resources for children with disabilities and additional support needs |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | Event and follow up. | Involving all those with an interest |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
First quarter of 2006. | Action identified and taken forward. | |
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Draft Recommendation That research should be undertaken on disability equality training, including mapping current provision, investigating different approaches and their impact, and considering current and future need (subject to the findings of the current Scottish Parliament research) |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | Commission research project | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
To report by autumn 2006 | | |
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Draft Recommendation That standards and/or accreditation for disability equality training should be developed |
Who: | What: | How: |
? | Will need careful consideration and planning | Perhaps need to establish advisory group to oversee project. Advisory group to fully involve disabled people. |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Commence by autumn 2006? | | |
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Draft Recommendation That disabled people should be encouraged to become disability equality trainers |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | If an advisory group is established to develop standards and accreditation for DET it might also develop proposals for encouraging disabled people to become DET trainers. |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
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Draft Recommendation That initial teacher education and continuing professional development should incorporate disability equality training, including communication impairment issues |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
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Draft Recommendation That HMIE should work in partnership with disabled people and disability organisations to develop indicators of good practice |
Who: | What: | How: |
HMIE, Scot Executive, DRC, disability organisations, local authorities | Careful planning needed. | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
By end of 2007? | | |
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Draft Recommendation That 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 |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive, disability organisations, local authorities and other public bodies | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Ongoing. | | |
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Draft Recommendation That further and higher education institutions should involve disabled people through student consultation panels and that audit and inspection bodies should monitor progress |
Who: | What: | How: |
FE and HE institutions | Establish panels. | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
In time for autumn 2006? | | Panels must ensure that they are accessible for all equality groups. |
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Draft Recommendation That disabled people should be encouraged to take up careers in the educational sector |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | As part of work on diversity within teaching? |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation The Scottish Executive, audit and inspection bodies and the Disability Rights Commission should consider a framework for auditing of the disability equality duty |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive leads by example and makes a clear statement of commitment to equality of opportunity for disabled people |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation A campaign should be undertaken by the Scottish Executive to address underlying negative attitudes towards disabled people |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive should review the materials used in schools on disability and citizenship; including reviewing the availability of advice and guidance for young disabled people on what to do if they experience discrimination |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That accrediting bodies for the professions should include disability equality training [comment - this may be reserved, or partly reserved?] |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That equality should be a key competence for advancement in employment in the public sector in Scotland |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive and public sector | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That targets for disabled people in public appointments should be reviewed and that the Executive should lead by example in the public appointment of disabled people |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Possible gaps
None identified
Disability Working Group - Satellite Group 4
Social inclusion; poverty; independent living; direct payments; care and support services; rehabilitation.
Membership
Jim Elder-Woodward, Inclusion Scotland (Chair)
Wyn Merrells, Scottish Disability Equality Forum
Ann Brown, RNID Scotland
Kate Higgins, Capability Scotland
Isabel Denholm, Barnardo's Scotland
Margaret Aitken, Scottish Council on Deafness
Kate Wallace, Scottish Association for Mental Health
Stephanie Clark, Sense Scotland
Jackie Reid, Sense Scotland
David Thomson, Scottish Executive: Equality Unit
Chris Taylor, Scottish Executive: Supporting People
Jeannie Munroe, Scottish Executive: Vulnerable Adults Unit
Sharon Wilson, Scottish Executive: Social Inclusion Division
Meetings
The group met on 23 May, 19 July, 23 August, 3 October and 27 October.
Approach
A number of background papers had been provided and these formed the basis of much of the discussion. A paper on the UK Government's report 'Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People' and it's key recommendations on individualised budgets was complemented by one specifically considering direct payments in Scotland. The group also met with Scottish Executive officials taking forward work on direct payments in Scotland. Issues of poverty were discussed at early meetings, with the focus of later meetings on care and support services, direct payments and independent living.
The group had a very broad and complex set of issues to discuss and was unable to cover 'rehabilitation' in the time that it had available.
Group 4 Recommendations
Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive agrees and publishes a set of principles that underpins the work of all departments: and this set of principles be based on that which underpins disability equality and independent living as defined by the disabled people's movement. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive. | Leadership statement | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
By December 2006? | Principles underpin the Executive's work | |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive consults local user led independent living support groups to ascertain the best way to support and co-ordinate their work nationwide |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
Throughout 2006 and ongoing | | |
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Draft Recommendation That current research on care and support services for disabled people should be reviewed and where gaps are identified further participatory action research be commissioned |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
? | | |
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Draft Recommendation That disabled people should be engaged both proactively and effectively in the design and implementation of care and support services. |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That the disabled person should be a full partner and main protagonist in the decision making processes of their care management |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive, CoSLA, local authorities | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
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Draft Recommendation That the Scottish Executive should support independent peer advocacy services for disabled people nationwide |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That the participation by disabled people at all levels of public life should be promoted and resourced |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That the Executive gives consideration to free prescriptions for disabled people [comment - Executive is already reviewing prescription charges for people with chronic health conditions and young people in full-time education and training. The Review began in October 2004. Phase 1, a research project, is now complete. Phase 2, a 3 month consultation exercise is expected to begin around the turn of the year (2005/06).] |
Who: | What: | How: |
| | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
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Draft Recommendation That the Executive considers how best the fuel poverty scheme can cover disabled people, including families with disabled children |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| | |
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Draft Recommendation That the Executive undertakes research to examine models of a single information resource or 'one stop shop' for meeting disabled people's needs, including support needs and information needs |
Who: | What: | How: |
Scottish Executive | | Suggest - establish advisory group to develop a strategy? |
When: | Success measures: | Diversity issues? |
| Empowerment of disabled people, increased visibility. | |
| | | |
Possible gaps
The group had a very broad and complex set of issues to discuss and was unable to cover all areas in the time that it had available. 'Rehabilitation' was one area which the group was unable to consider in detail.