Disability Equality, Diversity and the Disability Discrimination Act – Top Tips
(John, aged 15, personal communication at a young person’s workshop taken from
‘Come on In’ – a practical guide to the DDA for Children’s Services’)
Introduction
The Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) provides protection against discrimination of Disabled Children, Young People and Adults in the areas of:
- Education
- Employment
- Access to goods and services
- Land and property
- Transport
The Act covers England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and the Isle of Man. A set of Codes of Practice has been produced which offer basic interpretations of the DDA to support people and organisations to implement it successfully.
The Disability Discrimination Act is now twelve years old and is here to stay, but there are still many people and organisations who have yet to embrace the spirit and letter of this legislation. Alison John & Associates (AJA) is a leading training provider in the field of Play & Youth work, Disability Equality and Inclusion. We offer the following information on the Disability Discrimination Act in the hope that it will be of interest and help to keep your practice in working with children and young people up to date.
Employment
Many employers are still unsure of their responsibilities under Disability Discrimination Act and of how to put the ethos of Disability Equality into their practice. Consider the following:
FACT
Over 90% of employers may be at risk because they do not have a reasonable adjustments policy for their employees.
There is unlimited compensation for employees who take a successful claim under the Disability Discrimination Act. The largest court settlement under Part 2 so far cost the employer £195,000. Therefore, it is of vital importance for employers to understand Equality and Diversity in the workplace in order to minimise the risk of a claim of discrimination being made against them.
FACT
1 in 5 people of working age are Disabled People.
Many employers believe they do not have any Disabled People working for them and yet statistics show that us that many people with a whole range of impairments are present in the workplace. When we think of Disabled People, we often think of wheelchair users, or people with obvious physical impairments. The majority of impairments are not visible; employers often have people with hidden impairments working for them without realising it!
The Disability Discrimination Act states the following as likely to be covered under the law: Cancer, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and heart conditions, hearing or sight impairments, a significant mobility difficulty; and mental health conditions or learning difficulties. People with a facial disfigurement are also likely to have rights under the Disability Discrimination Act, to protect them from discrimination. However, only the courts can say if a particular individual is defined as disabled under the legislation.
Many negative assumptions are made about Disabled People in the field of employment and discrimination is a painful reality for many people. Many examples now exist however, of employers who have had the creativity and foresight to challenge assumptions. Their experiences of employing Disabled People have taught them that creating a truly diverse workforce, where Equality and Inclusion are valued, benefits everyone, employers and employees and customers.
Please see our page on Reasonable Adjustments and Employment for examples what
employers can do to be more inclusive.
Providing a Service
The Disability Discrimination Act says that everyone is entitled to good customer care, including Disabled Customers. Yet 75% of people with mobility or sensory impairments still have difficulty in accessing goods and services.
Disability Equality Training is often seen as an ‘optional extra’ and not a requirement for all staff. Perhaps an organisation’s Equal Opportunities representative will attend training but frontline staff who are most likely to come into contact with Disabled customers miss out or only get a summary version of the training. Disabled People regularly experience poor customer care and until ALL the individuals working within an organisation are required to develop the awareness and skills to be inclusive, the chances are that poor services will continue. Disability Equality training should not be seen as a ‘bolt on’ but rather as integral to providing inclusive services to all.
FACT
Disabled People have a spending power of £80 billion under the Disability Discrimination Act.
The Disability Discrimination Act says, providing services which can be used by all, makes financial sense for business. If you treat people equally and without discrimination, Disabled People will spend their money with you rather than with another service.
FACT
Only 8% of Disabled People are wheelchair users’
It has been shown that most reasonable adjustments can be made for under £100. Services need to think beyond the ramp – it’s not only about wheelchairs and lifts. There are many people out there with a range of impairments which aren’t necessarily obvious but which still fall under the Disability Discrimination Act. Treating Disabled People equally means thinking outside the box; and being flexible with your service delivery.
FACT
5% of all under 16’s are Disabled People.
Those services which provide for children and young people are at the cornerstone of change. If we practice inclusion in services such as education, play and youth services, we begin to build the foundation for diversity to be recognised as the ‘norm’ in the future.
FACT
60% of People with Learning Difficulties don’t have their own home and still live with parents.
Many People with Learning Difficulties still live with their family and 1 in 3 have no social contact with friends and feel they are not welcome in clubs and pubs and at other social activities. They too will be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act.
Please see our page on Reasonable Adjustments for Providers of Goods and Services
for steps which
can be taken to make services more inclusive.
NOTE: Figures provided in our information about the DDA have been sourced from:
- National statistics online
- Shaw Trust - Labour force survey
- The Equality and Human Rights Commission
- The Employers forum on Disability - a benchmark survey.