SDEF Newsletter No.6 -�July 2002

Welcome to this sixth edition of SDEF News, available free to all members and associate members of SDEF.� We will keep you up to date on our own activities and relevant events and publications in the field of disability.� If you would like your work publicised in future editions, or would like to tell us about something new, please contact us at the address below.

This newsletter is available by email, on disc or in other formats if preferred.� Please contact us to let us know how you would like to receive it.

Forum Update

Please note that SDEF moved premises on 24.6.02.� Our address is now:

Mansfield Traquair Centre

Email will remain [email protected]

Please amend your records.

SDEF’s Committee has been working hard over the past few months to develop a business plan and series of projects delivering the priorities set out by members at our three Members’ Meetings.

The business plan is now almost complete, and will be submitted to the Scottish Executive and other potential funders shortly.� We are quietly confident that we will shortly be in a sustainable financial position, based on the analyses and planning we have done.

Your views on the final plan will be sought at our AGM and Conference on 2^nd October.� We are keen for your input into this event - please let us know if you have any ideas for the discussion sessions.

Meanwhile, we have continued to make links with a wide range of other organisations to work on the priorities you set.� We are now represented on the Scottish Steering Group for the European Year of Disabled People (see below) and the BT Countryside for All Advisory Group, as well as a whole range of informal networks and contacts.����������

EYDP 2003

2003 is the European Year of Disabled People. The European Year will be launched by events across the UK in January 2003. Local and larger projects will take place throughout the European Year.� A Scottish Steering Group has been convened to look at activity in Scotland, and SDEF is represented on this.

The UK theme for projects is “Promote Rights and Participation”. Sub-themes to support this include:

• Raising Awareness

• Participation

• Advocacy / Mentoring

The European Year is being organised by a National Co-ordinating Committee (NCC) led by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). The NCC will assess projects and recommend them to the Minister for Disabled People for approval.�

To support the European Year, grants of up to �10,000 for local projects and up to �50,000 for regional/national projects are available. The grants are made up of funding from the European Commission and the Government. The NCC hope to fund up to 80 local projects and up to 10 larger projects.�

A “local project” covers an area smaller than an English Government Office region or smaller than the whole of Scotland or Wales or Northern Ireland. A “regional/national Project” covers one or more English Government regions, or the whole of England or Wales or Scotland or Northern Ireland or the UK.

Timetable:

• Closing date for application forms to arrive at the Project Office in DWP: 1200 hours September 27 2002

• Assessment of grant applications:� October 2002.

• Announcement of successful bids: November 2002

Note:� Projects must start in 2003 and be completed no later than March 31 2004. More information is available from www.disability.gov.uk

Scottish Executive News���

Free Personal Care For Older People - Helpline Launched:

Leaflets and special helpline to give advice on Scottish Executive new free personal care scheme. Call free on 0800 027 7575 for information.

Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland - invitation to apply

Part-time Commissioner (with special interest in minority ethnic issues)

The First Minister will shortly be recommending the appointment of a part-time Commissioner to serve as a member of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland. The Commission’s role is to protect mentally disordered people who cannot look after their own interests. It enquires into cases of alleged ill treatment or deficiency of care or treatment and visits patients in hospital or subject to guardianship orders.

The Commission has statutory duties under the Mental Health

Area Tourist Board Consultation Letter

The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport has put out a call for views on any potential changes to current Area Tourist Board arrangements.� The aim is to ensure that support is maximised for local level businesses through the services that Area Tourist Boards provide.

Views on any aspect of this area are welcomed, but areas for consideration could include structure, the role of local authorities, relationships with Local Enterprise Companies, and how Tourist Boards can best engage with businesses.

Views should be submitted by 28 August 02, and sent to:

Lesley Fraser

Or send by email to [email protected]

Consultation On Draft Guidance And Regulations On Accessibility Strategies

This consultation paper asks for views on the draft guidance and draft regulations on accessibility strategies, to be prepared under the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) Bill.

Copies of this consultation paper can be found on the Scottish Executive website (under Consultations) at http://www.scotland.gov.uk or if you would like additional copies, either by e-mail or in hard copy, please telephone 0131 244 7139 or e-mail: [email protected].

The consultation falls into three parts:

Part I — draft guidance on accessibility strategies
Part II — draft Education (Disability Strategies) Regulations
Part III — the text of the Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils' Educational Records) Bill, as passed by the Scottish Parliament, for ease of reference

Responses to this consultation should be sent by Friday 9 August 2002 at the latest to:

Samantha Baker
Scottish Executive, Special Educational Needs Unit, Area 3B (North), Victoria Quay, EDINBURGH EH6 6QQ
e-mail: [email protected]
Fax: 0131 244 7943

Women and Transport
The Executive has produced guidance and a Checklist which encourages transport policy makers and service providers to recognise the different effects of their policies/provision on groups such as women.

Promoting Health, Supporting Inclusion - The national review of the contribution of all nurses and midwives to the care and support of people with learning disabilities
National Nursing Review of the contributions required from all nurses and midwives to meet the health needs of children and adults with learning disabilities, to improve health and support inclusion

Scottish Parliament News

Inquiry Into Mainstreaming Equality Into The Activities Of Committees Of The Scottish Parliament

This consultation paper sets out the initial proposals of the Equal Opportunities Committee with regard to how best equality might be mainstreamed into the activities of committees of the Scottish Parliament.

The paper provides further details of the consultation on an approach, set out in a series of high-level Mainstreaming Equality Guidelines. The draft Mainstreaming Equality Guidelines aim to outline the features of an effective mainstreaming process and define the intended outcomes. Once these are established, then further work on developing appropriate support structures may begin.

Go to http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/official_report/cttee/equal-02/eo02-ime-01.htm or phone 0131 348 5216 for a copy of the paper.

Please send any written comments by Friday 27 September 2002, to:

Equal Opportunities Committee

UK Government News

Transport the biggest barrier for disabled people

Nearly half of disabled people polled (48%) say transport is their most important concern. But only a fifth (21%) believe those responsible for transport planning and development give enough attention to their needs. That’s according to the recent report, ‘Attitudes of Disabled People to Public Transport in England and Wales’, published by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC).

To read the full report, follow this link:

News from the Sector

On Eve Of Free School Meals Debate New Survey Uncovers Families With A Disability Losing Out (20/06/02):

For more information, go to http://www.capability-scotland.org.uk/ and click on Press Releases

Improved Access For Deaf People To Their MSPs (17/06/02):

More Concerns Over New Anti Discrimination Body (18/06/02):

Government plans to set up a single new anti-discrimination commission, replacing three existing agencies, could make disability laws more difficult to implement, the RNIB has warned.

DRC News

The Report Of The Conference "Researching Disability In Scotland" Held In June 2001 Is Now Available (19/06/02):

DRC calls for shake-up of legislation

Major changes to the law are urgently needed so that disabled people can use public transport and enjoy equal employment rights. At the launch of its first major review of disability legislation, Caroline Gooding, the DRC’s Special Adviser, says: "Many disabled people still don’t have the right to get on a plane or a train or effective rights in the workplace.

"After six years of the DDA, the gaps in the law are clearer than ever. The DRC needs your help to make the case for legal change."

The DRC has launched a public consultation on its recommendations for changes to the DDA. Responses to the consultation must be received by 16 August 2002. You can help us by giving your comments online.

To read the consultation, and complete the online questionnaire, click here.

�"Smiles" all round as bank changes internet access rules

Professor Peter Willetts tried to open an account with smile, the internet bank, on behalf of his disabled father. He has a registered Enduring Power of Attorney, which gives him the right to act on behalf of his father in all his financial affairs. When Professor Willetts was refused, he asked the DRC for help. After the DRC’s intervention, smile agreed to alter its procedures and terms and conditions.

Professor Willetts explains: "I was getting more and more upset because most financial institutions seemed to have no understanding of our situation…I am delighted with smile’s decision."

The DRC has called on all banks to change their rules, so that those holding a registered Enduring Power of Attorney can open accounts on behalf of their relatives.

To read the full story, click here.

DRC Legal advice surgeries

Last month, DRC Scotland held the first in a series of free legal advice surgeries for people in the Highlands and Islands. The surgery, which took place in Brora, is the first in a series of four events aimed at giving free legal advice, on a one-to-one basis, to disabled people who feel that they are being discriminated against. The surgeries also aim to give disabled people in the Highland and Islands areas equal access to the DRC’s advice, information and other services.

The next surgeries will take place in:

Skye - July 2002

Mull - September 2002

Aberdeen - November 2002

For more information, contact:

Email: highland&[email protected]

Telephone: 0131 444 4300

Textphone: 0131 444 4302

Civic Forum News

Forum on Discrimination

The Forum on Discrimination Steering Group met last week to review the launch event in June, and to pinpoint areas for future activity.� Two working groups have since been formed, one looking at Mainstreaming, the other at Media.� If you would like to get involved, please contact Niall Hermiston at the Forum office on 0131 225 6789 or email [email protected].� A Conference Report from the June launch event will be published and circulated in the near future.

Rural Network

There is a generally acknowledged ‘vacuum’ resulting from the passing of the Rural Forum that has not been filled by other agencies picking up the work.� How can rural Scotland organise, find its voice and use it?� How can communities as diverse as rural Lanarkshire and the Islands find a common agenda, or even a common way of working?�� What can we learn from the examples of other countries who are held up as models of rural community participation, like Sweden, Germany and Canada?

A small action group that emerged from the seminar on 29 May in Aberdeen on rural participation will address these and other questions.� On that occasion, we heard about the experience of the Swedish Rural Parliament, the Village Actions Movements, in Sweden and elsewhere in Scandinavia.� But the situation in Scotland is different, and we have first to decide what we are looking for, and what kind of structure or network would enable those who feel the ‘vacuum’ to make their voices heard.

If you have views on this, or wish to be kept informed, please contact Donald Reid at the Civic Forum ([email protected] or 0131 225 6881)