The Scottish Government

DISABILITY WORKING GROUP

Note of away day, 1 October 2004

Present:

Yvonne Strachan, (Chair) Scottish Executive Equality Unit

Michelle Hegarty, Capability Scotland

Bob Benson, Disability Rights Commission

Mike Holmes, Enable

Bill Campbell, Inclusion Scotland

Gordon MacRae, Leonard Cheshire Scotland

Margaret Hickish, Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland

Jack Moodie, Orkney Disability Forum

Gordon Matheson, RNIB Scotland

Ann Brown, RNID Scotland

Kate Wallace, SAMH

Lilian Lawson, Scottish Council on Deafness

Wynn Merrils, Scottish Disability Equality Forum

Scott Skinner, Scottish Enterprise

Mairi McMenamin, Scottish Executive Health Dept

Brenda Walker, Scottish Human Services Trust

Joyce Wilson, SENSE Scotland

Sally Witcher, Independent Consultant

David Thomson, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

Graeme Bryce, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

Charlotte McHaffie, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

Julie Ann Bilotti, Welfare to Work Taskforce Secretariat

Apologies:

Apologies were received from: Lionel Long, Update.

Welcome and Introductions

1. Yvonne welcomed the group and set out the purpose of the day - to build on the achievements of EYDP and develop strategic priorities for further work.

Establishing the context and scene setting

The Big Picture

2. A paper entitled 'The Big Picture: An Overview of the Wider Policy Context' had been prepared by Sally Witcher and circulated prior to the meeting. Sally presented the paper which discussed EYDP, the Scottish Parliament's Inquiry on disability, the Westminster project on 'Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People', changes to the DDA, the anticipated Disability Discrimination Bill containing a public sector duty to promote, and developments towards a Commission for Equality and Human Rights. This helped to set the context for the Disability Working Group's discussion.

Other work in Scotland

3. Further context was provided through short presentations on work currently being undertaken.

3.1 Margaret Hickish, Convener of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS), spoke about transport for disabled people and the strategic work of her Committee with the Scottish Executive, transport providers and transport users.

3.2 Mairi McMenamin, from the Involving People team in the Scottish Executive's Health Department, spoke about work across the NHS to involve disabled people and to improve the accessibility of services.

3.3 Questions to Mairi and Margaret focussed on outcomes and performance standards. MACS had already published training standards for transport providers which had received a very positive response and were seeking to develop performance standards that captured improvements in people's lives. The NHS was also focussed on impact and outcomes and there were existing health service systems for measuring performance. Standards for involving disabled people would be looked at and practical guidance developed.

3.4 Scott Skinner from Scottish Enterprise then gave a presentation on the strategic approach to equality within Scottish Enterprise and specific action to promote disabled people's employment, self employment and career development. Julie Ann Bilotti of the Welfare to Work Taskforce secretariat then spoke about the work of the Taskforce to promote employment, particularly through the Pathways to Work initiative.

3.5 Again questions to Julie and Scott focussed on capturing outcomes and measuring real change. It was acknowledged that this was difficult in the business sector and that more work was needed. There was also discussion of the importance of looking at the wider context of people's lives including for example transport, childcare, and not seeing employment in isolation. Scottish Enterprise's disability advisory group for entrepreneurship would provide strategic advice on these wider issues.

Priorities of Working Group members

4. Members of the Working Group spoke about their organisation's structure and priorities. This allowed all those participating to understand different perspectives and approaches and helped to emphasise the breadth and diversity of the disability sector in Scotland. Many common issues emerged particularly in relation to employment, transport, access to information and to services, and tackling prejudice and raising awareness.

Developing Working Group priorities

5. The afternoon began with discussion in smaller groups. Each group was asked to reflect on the information on wider context that they had heard in the morning and to identify where further action was needed - this might be in relation to gaps identified or areas where complementary activity might add value. Having identified further action the groups were then asked to consider a remit and method of working that would deliver the action needed. An account of each group's discussion and priorities is attached at Annex A.

6. Each group then provided feedback. It was clear that similar issues were emerging and the Chair suggested that issues might be clustered. This was agreed as follows:

• employability, including piloting good practice; poverty
• public sector duty to promote disability equality; mainstreaming disability equality; corporate responsibility; engaging public authorities
• communication, consultation, access to information
• education and training; citizenship; disability equality training; public attitudes
• transport (However, it was recognised that it would be important not to duplicate the work of MACS and any work on transport would need to be discussed and agreed with MACS.)

7. A number of groups identified diversity and multiple discrimination issues and it was agreed that consideration of ethnicity, diversity and rurality should run through the work of all clusters.

Way of Working

8. Sally Witcher had prepared a paper on possible ways of working and this had been circulated in advance of the meeting. The paper focused on a structure consisting of a core group with smaller 'satellite' groups focussed on particular issues.

9. Working Group members agreed this structure. There was agreement also that the core group was 'sovereign' and would have the final say on recommendations. Satellite groups could be formed around each of the clusters identified at paragraph 6 above. Additional organisations might be invited to join the satellite groups if that was what group members wanted. Where a satellite group identified the need for research, advice or supporting material this could be commissioned.

10. It was thought that membership of the larger core group should include a young people's organisation, a private sector organisation and a BME organisation and this would be pursued by the Equality Unit.

Remit

11. Not all groups had had time to consider the draft remit. Those that had felt that some changes were required, particularly to reflect wider engagement with the disability sector. Some had a view that developing an action plan might be too prescriptive and that establishing priorities might be preferable. The Equality Unit was asked to redraft.

Redrafted remit:

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.

Conclusion

12. The Disability Working Group away day agreed:

Key areas of work:

• employability, including piloting good practice; poverty
• public sector duty to promote disability equality; mainstreaming disability equality; corporate responsibility; engaging public authorities
• communication; consultation; access to information; education and training; citizenship; disability equality training; public attitudes
• transport (subject to discussion with MACS)

Method of working:

A Core Group with smaller satellite groups focussed on the key areas. The Core Group should include a young people's organisation and a private sector organisation. The satellite groups would include other organisations as necessary.

Next steps

13. The Core Group would meet again quickly, at the end of October or early November. At this meeting the Group would:

• agree the remit
• establish satellite groups and discuss and agree their scope
• agree working arrangements, including a framework for communication between core and satellite groups and a timetable

Equality Unit

October 2004

Annex A

Awayday 1 October 2004 - Workshop Group 1

Present:

Lilian Lawson, Scottish Council on Deafness

Mike Holmes, Enable Scotland

Gordon MacRae, Leonard Cheshire Scotland

Note taker: David Thomson, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

General Discussion

1. Early in the process, the group decided to consider work which was strategic rather than solely based in specific policy areas such as transport.

2. The group was not able to cover all the areas set out for discussion.

Key issues summary

3. The group identified the following key issues:

• Disability Equality Training
• Disability Awareness - general public, employers, schools
• Co-ordinated approach to disability policy and practice across Government Departments, public sector agencies etc
• Need to understand the legislation and provide education on it - impact assessment, your rights as a disabled Scot

4. It also identified the following cross-cutting themes:

• Young people
• Rural issues

5. And additional membership for the core group:

• Private sector/business representative

6. The group also contributed wordings to the redraft of the proposed remit for the Disability Working Group.

Awayday 1 October 2004 - Workshop Group 2

Present:

Michelle Hegarty, Capability Scotland

Wynn Merrils, Scottish Disability Equality Forum

Ann Brown, RNID Scotland

Brenda Walker, Scottish Human Services Trust

Note taker: Graeme Bryce, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

General Discussion

The Group focussed on identifying gaps in the light of the morning's discussions.

• The Group noted that there was no national approach to tackling prejudice and stigma and this was seen as a key issues. A sustained, national strategic approach to changing negative attitudes about disability was needed.
• Care issues had also not been prominent in the morning's discussion. The group considered that mapping and aligning of care services needed to be looked in order to develop better care services responsive to the needs of particular groups. There was also a need for better respite care and better support for carers.
• Effective consultation was crucial in order to develop and deliver better services. There was a need for robust mechanisms, particularly at local level. Specific tools, advice and guidance was needed on how to reach and engage effectively with disabled people. Standards might also be useful for this.
• The group was interested in looking at how the CRE had approached the duty to promote race equality and building on any successful approaches. They were particularly interested in arrangements for monitoring and measuring success.
• Poverty was recognised as a central issue for many disabled people. There was a need to examine how existing strategies for tackling poverty considered disability and how they improved disabled peoples' lives.
• Transport was considered a significant issue but not necessarily one where there were gaps. This might be looked at but only after discussion with MACS to ensure that there was no overlap.

Awayday 1 October 2004 - Workshop Group 3

Present:

Bill Campbell, Inclusion Scotland

Bob Benson, Disability Rights Commission

Joyce Wilson, Sense Scotland

Note taker: Charlotte McHaffie, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

General Discussion

1. Discussion was wide ranging and covered a number of areas including Employment, Education and Consultation/Leadership.

2. Due to time constraints, the group did not cover either the Ways of Working or Membership and Remit.

Employment

3. Employment was considered to be a key priority for the Working Group. Ensuring an integrated approach to employment and creating links between service providers, charities and forums, in the Employment, Health and Education sectors was thought to be vital in removing the barriers to disabled people in the labour market.

4. The group considered the question, how do we get disabled people into employment? - One suggestion was to identify areas of demand in the Scottish economy and target these types of employment.

5. The group suggested identifying positive stories of disabled people in employment and examining these successes to ascertain solutions to improve job retention. The project should have an assessment of what worked and why built into it.

6. Access to Work is an important support service for enabling disabled people to access employment. The group thought, as the service is not actively promoted, it would be helpful to raise awareness amongst disabled people and employers of the advice and financial support available.

Education

7. The group discussed the Social Attitudes Survey and agreed that attitudes towards disabled people needed to be addressed. For example, by bring disabled people in to the teaching profession to provide positive role models for children.

8. The group also considered the integration of disability issues into the education curriculum for students in areas such as architecture (accessible design) and education (teaching).

9. Pilot Education Initiative - It was suggested the Working Group could, in collaboration with EIS, STUC, Headmasters Association etc, establish 20 student teaching places for disabled people with a guaranteed teaching job after successful completion of course.

10. Any initiative undertaken by the Working Group must have an evaluating outcomes tool built into it.

Consultation/Leadership

11. The group briefly touched on the importance of how to engage and empowers disabled people creating/identifying new leaders, people who can talk about and share their own experiences.

12. The group agreed it was important to consider how to engage and encourage the participation of young people. The Working Group needs to understand the priorities of young people, to ensure these are taken into account.

Summary

Employment - Joined up working to encourage employers to recruit, retain and promote disabled people. Focus on positive change and how to replicate across the employing sector, particularly with SME's, developing models of what does and doesn't work to create a Equality and Impact Assessment Tools.

Education - Establish a Pilot Education Initiative to recruit disabled people through an education/teaching qualification into a guaranteed post. Developing positive models to address barriers and attitudes.

Consultation/Leadership - Encourage and empower disabled people to become involved in the disability movement and to provide leadership to others. Working Group should engage with young disabled people to ensure their involvement and understand their issues and priorities.

Awayday 1 October 2004 - Workshop Group 4

Present:

Gordon Matheson, RNIB Scotland

Jack Moodie, Orkney Disability Forum

Kate Wallace, SAMH

Sally Witcher, Independent consultant

Note taker: Yvonne Strachan, Scottish Executive Equality Unit

This group looked at identifying gaps and also considered which organisations might need to be involved on satellite groups.

• Mainstreaming disability equality was a key issue. This linked closely to work on the new public sector duty, procurement and best practice. A key partners here would be the DRC.

• Transport was a clear priority, although discussion with MACS would be needed to ensure that the group added value to activities already taking place.

• Employability was key to tackling poverty. Scottish Enterprise would be an important partner. The group was keen that this work should focus on devolved responsibilities.

• Working with local government, particularly through CoSLA to look at local service delivery, planning, access and engagement issues.

• There was a need to improve communication with disabled people, including consultation and accessible information.

• Tackling prejudice and changing negative public attitudes was a crucial social priority. Campaigns and awareness raising would be important. And the DRC was identified a s a key partner.