Scottish
Disability Equality Forum���� |
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� Report
of SDEF Conference����������������
9th
July, Dunblane
�Including Us All�Back
to main�
Text
of Bob Benson's Speech
Thank you so much for
inviting me to address the first SDEF Conference today.�
The re-establishment of the Forum underlines a real need to bring
together disabled people and disability organisations to provide a debate on
important policy issues and areas of concern reflecting their voices.�� In the context of our Scottish Parliament, the
establishment of the Disability Rights Commission there are important new
opportunities for the disabled movement to not only influence the agenda of
decision makers but also to help set the agenda.
I�m going to talk today
about what the Commission is here for, look at some of the things we�ve done
and are doing but as importantly look at, the policy agenda as it is unfolding,
how we can work with disabled people and disability organisations to formulate
policy and areas for action and some comments on the wider voluntary sector
itself.
BACKGROUND�
&� STATUTORY�
REMIT
The DRC came into
operation on 25th April 2000 reflecting the Government�s
implementation of the New Labour Manifesto commitment to establish
�comprehensive enforceable civil rights for disabled people�.�
That in turn, followed a sustained campaign since the 1960s by disabled
people, their organisations and many others to create disability rights
legislation with an enabling and enforcing Commission.
The Disability Rights
Commission Act 1999 sets out four main statutory tasks for the Commission:
ending discrimination
against disabled people;
promoting equal
opportunities for them;
disseminating good
practice;
keeping disability
legislation under review and as appropriate advising the Government.
AIM,�
OBJECTIVES� &�
ORGANISATION
From the outset, the
Commission has set itself the goal of achieving �a society where all disabled
people can participate fully as equal citizens�.��
There are about 800,000 disabled people in Scotland where discrimination
and disadvantage are widespread with low public awareness.
The Commission�s vision
therefore represents a very major programme of change, which will be taken
forward primarily through advice, conciliation and where necessary legal
enforcement.� The Commission will
also deploy other instruments available to it where these will have a major
impact, including publicity campaigns, standard setting, development of good
practice and providing policy advice and research.��
It will be essential for the Commission to work in partnership with its
key stakeholders: disabled people and their organisations, business and service
providers, government, parliaments, as well as other public bodies and the
media.
We felt that one of the
most important and urgent tasks in Scotland was to ensure that we had a picture
of the actual situation facing disabled people as well as a picture of what is
current policy and best practice and what needs doing.��
Our Baseline Study on disability in Scotland, launched at a recent joint
conference with the Scottish Executive helps provide a route map for the public,
private and voluntary sectors to develop and improve their provision and
practice, and will assist in helping us reach a point where disability rights
are a standard item on everyone�s agenda.�� The study is on our website and will be available
through our Helpline shortly once all formats are available.�� We believe as an organisation that seeks to be exemplar
that reports are available to everyone at the same time.
The Commission of course
has to work within a strategic planning framework (copies available).�� Our key strategic objectives are:
all disabled people to
secure comprehensive rights in practice;
all organisations � employers and service providers � to apply best disability practice and meet statutory requirements; in key sectors (including education, employment, the built environment, transport, and health & social care), an end to the legal, policy and practical barriers which disadvantage disabled people; shifting public attitudes to inclusiveness and equality for disabled people; a high performing, exemplary DRC.
�
DRC�
Services
The DRC has established
six main services:� a DRC Helpline,�
Website,� caseworking,�
conciliation and legal enforcement and�
practice development.� Since
April 2000, the Helpline has received over 65,000 calls, some 50% more than the
originally projected figure.�� The
majority of calls are made by disabled people and their advisers, with a further
third or so by employers, service providers and their advisers.��
This level of demand and that evidenced by our casework service�
demonstrates both the needs and the value of the DRC.
Our casework service has
handled some 2135 cases - ten times the original projected number � this
service aims to secure solutions to the difficulties and discrimination
experienced by a disabled person with an employer or service provider.��
In many cases it has been possible to resolve the difficulties through
discussion, sharing of good practice and mediation.�� Where appropriate, however, caseworkers may assist the
individual in the required processes for cases coming to Employment Tribunals or
(under Part III of the DDA) the Courts.��
Over 55% of the enquiries received have related to matters arising under
Part iii access to goods and services of the Act, and some 45% (on a rising
trend)� to employment issues.
Outcomes secured by DRC�
have included changing a restaurant�s provisions refusing a blind
person and their guide dog access,� a
local authority changing the venue of its Council meetings,�
a telephone company changing the format�
of bills for a blind customer,� an
employer being informed of how to adjust a steering wheel for an employee with a
prosthetic hand,� and a building
society making special, backdated provision to enable a woman with learning
difficulties to secure the benefits of a share issue.��
A minority of cases have proceeded to the Tribunals or Courts, with the
individual being supported directly by the DRC, through expert third parties or
on their own initiative.�� We
are currently pursuing a number of cases in Scotland, on important precedent
setting issues. A new conciliation
Service to implement Part
III of the DDA was also set up in March.
Practice
Development
The DRC has also
established an in-house team to build partnerships with key stakeholder
organisations and to help identify and disseminate good disability practice.�� This work focuses on key sectors, and is based on close
consultation and collaboration with disabled people and their organisations,
representative employer and service provider bodies and external experts.
�
Strengthening
the policy and legal framework
The DRC has responded to a
range of issues, and to consultation exercises conducted by the Scottish
Parliament and Executive as well as by the UK Government.��
They key priorities since April 2000 have been as follows:
We have taken forward and
worked with Government and the Scottish Executive on the recommendations of the
Disability Rights Task Force (DRTF)� which
represent a major package of changes in disability rights;
Input into ending the
employment threshold and excluding sectors under the employment provisions of
the DDA (Part II of the Disability Discrimination Act) which will come into
effect in 2004;
Provided advice on the
recognition of British Sign Language;
Developed draft Codes of
Practice on implementing the SEN and Disability in Education Act;� and
Developed a guide to the
Human Rights Act and disability as well as developing a new statutory Code on
Part III of the DDA (access to goods and services).
In particular DRC has sought to take forward
a number of Scotland specific issues.
DRC Scotland consulted on
the Scottish Executive�s behalf with disabled people and housing organisations
on the draft Scotland Housing Bill, with the aim of widening the scope of the
Bill to include disability considerations.��
This was successful and the Act now includes specific reference to
disability and to equal opportunity (especially in affording priority for
housing in the case of harassment as a result of disability).�
We have also inputted to the Parliament�s consideration of the Scottish
Budget to ensure that disability considerations are given appropriate profile in
the budget, as well as making the case for health and social care policies to be
based on the principles of independent living.�
In all of our work we would have sought to consult with our stakeholders,
and this is something that we are pledged to continue.
Raising
the profile
We believe that working in
this way we can make a positive contribution to taking forward and widening
disabled people�s rights.� I
believe we can be proud of the progress we have made, but there is much more to
do. One of the key tasks that lies ahead is to develop awareness of the DDA.� If we can create greater awareness and bring about a wider
compliance and better practice, and more service providers and businesses
realise that it makes business sense then I believe that trust and confidence in
disability rights will develop.
Our task in the coming
months is to take this forward as our most recent public opinion survey shows
that only 40% of the population in Scotland have heard of the DDA.� However, there is I believe a good basis to work on � the
same survey shows that there is a strong support for a rights based approach in
Scotland and a strong sense amongst the public that more needs to be done.��
We at the DRC will be setting targets on the development of awareness and
will be running campaigns to acquaint more people and organisations with the
provisions of the DDA.
We are planning over the
coming year a number of specific activities including a major Scotland-wide
Roadshow aimed at disabled people, business and public authorities.� This will include events in Glasgow, Dumfries and Galloway,
the Highlands and Islands and Dundee.
In addition we are aiming
to:
hold information surgeries
in the highlands and Islands for disabled people;
Develop partnerships with
key employers or organisations across Scotland;
Work with the Scottish
Executive and Parliament in the fields of Education, Social Justice, Housing,
Health and Community Care as well as Transport;
Promote the contribution
of disabled people in public life across Scotland;
Work with the Scottish
Executive on the mainstreaming of equalities across the Executive;
Ensure that Scottish experiences and
knowledge are fully inputted into the DRC�s GB wide priorities and policies.
I referred earlier to the
purpose of our Baseline Study developing knowledge about the actual situation of
disability in Scotland and to evidence a base to enable consideration of key
issues to establish an agenda for policy makers � a key role for the Forum.
The study in particular
found the following:
The numbers of disabled
people in Scotland (one in seven of us) show the importance of attention to
disability policy;
The demographics also show
how important it is for there to be joined up policy making � of the 800,000
disabled people in Scotland two in three are over the age of 60, and 27% of
people aged between 70 and 79.�� Services
and provisions will need to further reflect this, where they already don�t;
In the case of disabled
children whilst the overall numbers may be small, their needs are complex, and
demonstrate their importance not just of education policies, but of joined up
provision across the different services.��
There is an issue of planning in particular that suggests it needs
consideration;
Disabled people tend to
have lower incomes than non-disabled people, and are more likely to be
unemployed � there needs to be consideration of what steps are going to be
necessary to help close the gap;
The social inclusion
agenda is becoming more important and there is therefore now a need for there to
be consideration as to how disability can be included in milestones and
indicators that are being set;
There is a disparity of
provision between urban and rural areas.� This
suggests considerable attention is necessary to understand how improvements in
provision and services in rural areas can be brought about.
The publication of the
Disability Rights Task Force recommendations on non-legislative actions leads to
and raises opportunities for us and/or others in Scotland to develop policy
agenda:
Meeting
the housing needs of disabled people,
and improving access to the housing sector through effective and accessible
information with the Scottish Executive on the implementation of the Scottish
Housing Act 2001, as well as liaising with the Scottish Housing Disability
Group.
Maritime/Ferry
Access through the soon to be created independent
advisory Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland, which is likely to be
operational by early next year following the Transport (Scotland) Act 2000.
Mainstreaming
of the Part T Building Regulations gives
opportunities to produce an accessible guide to how the regulations work, so
that they are understood and utilised by organisations and disabled people.
In terms of health
treatment by the NHS there are issues of unequal treatment such as life and
death decision making incorporating Do Not Resuscitate notices and access to
surgery.
The whole issue of genetic
testing raises complex and serious issues.
These are significant
findings, and they require attention.� We
are developing a plan at DRC to take forward a number of issues that arise out
of the study and work of the DRTF but I would also like to emphasise that not
all actions to be taken forward� are
or should be the responsibility of DRC. There are many bodies and actors in the
policy arena that these areas are likely to have relevance for.� I am sure that the many organisations here will be keen to
take forward issues relevant to their fields of expertise.
�Taking forward
the issue of access to goods and services by disabled people��
�Working to ensure
that the rights of disabled people and children in education under legislation
are respected and extended
�Contributing to
the development of policies in the health and social care field that will
maximise independence and choice for disabled people
�
Working with the Scottish Executive on ensuring
that disability issues are mainstreamed in policy across the Executive�
�Building awareness across the public and private sectors of
the need for inclusive policies and practices
�
Working with public bodies to help them ensure
milestones and performance indicators include disability issues �Awareness/
Partnership
Welcome very much the work
of both SDEF and that of other voluntary organisations which raise issues and
campaign for better provision and rights for disabled people in Scotland. These
bodies have an important role in pushing for greater policies and provisions.
Our society would be immeasurably poorer if disabled people, and voluntary
organisations of and for disabled people were not and had not been engaged in
such activities.
Pluralism which welcomes the diversity of identities and interests within
Scotland, including minority groups such as ethnic minorities and people with
disabilities, and upholds the right of each interest to speak on its own behalf.
Equality
of opportunity which maximises the opportunities for all
people to contribute from their distinctive traditions, religions, cultures,
values and abilities to the shared life of the wider community, as well as their
own particular communities of need and interest. This includes opposing
institutional, or other forms of, discrimination and promoting participation and
inclusion.
These are important
principles which I am pleased that the voluntary sector is signed up to. In
addition I note that the Compact also contains the principle of support for
greater� Active
citizenship - involving the widest possible participation by people in
the lives of their national and local communities. This, is in my opinion,
vitally important � there is so much more to be done to involve disabled
people in public life, as well as too little attention paid to the contribution
that disabled people make. The voluntary sector with its expertise and its
values can I believe make a considerable difference here to building an
inclusive society through its campaigns and its involvement of thousands of
volunteers.
As I have indicated I both value and applaud
the work of the voluntary sector. The voluntary sector does employ more disabled
people than other sectors, which is very welcome, however there is still a
considerable task for the sector to undertake in preparing for the introduction
of the provisions of Part III of the DDA in 2004, and the development of good
practice guidance for voluntary workers and promoting good practice amongst
trustees of charities.
I do hope that you will
have an informative, stimulating and productive day and look forward to the work
programme of the SDEF developing in due course.
Thank you
Bob Benson
Director, Scotland
9th July, 2001.
�
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