Welcome to Module 6 of the NCC Equality

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• Welcome to Module 6 of the NCC Equality
  Diversity Programme
• Disability

PowerPoint Presentation
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• Welcome to the final briefing in the
  Challenging Inequality programme.
• In this programme we have looked at age equality,
  race equality, religion and belief, sexual
  orientation and gender.
• To complete the programme, in this briefing we
  are going to look at
• Disability

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When you have completed this briefing you
will Be able to demonstrate an awareness of the
key intentions of disability legislation. Be
able to describe the different approaches key to
looking at disability. Demonstrate an awareness
of your responsibility under Council
procedures. Demonstrate an awareness of the
values and behaviours you are expected to
demonstrate at work. Outline sources of support
for employees disabled employees.
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After completing this briefing you will also
have the opportunity to discuss this topic with
your line manager and colleagues. You will also
be able to listen to the talking heads audio
that supports this briefing If only they
would ask.
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• This briefing is made up of four parts
• What do we mean by disability?
• Disability discrimination
• Overcoming Barriers
• What next?

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Part One What do mean by disability?
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Disability Models

• There are two recognised models of disability
• Traditionally, the medical or individual model
  has been dominant. This regards disability as an
  individual problem facing people with a medical
  condition or disease.
• This view of disability leads to negative views
  of disabled people, where they suffer from their
  condition and therefore solutions involve
  treatment, cure or other professional
  interventions.
• Many images we have of disabled people reflect
  the medical model.

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The Social Model

• This model sees the way in which society and
  organisations are run as creating barriers to the
  participation of disabled people in mainstream
  society. These barriers are created by peoples
  attitudes and assumptions, and therefore can be
  challenged and changed.
• These barriers fall into three categories
• Attitudinal- such as stereotyping all disabled
  people
• Organisational such as having systems and
  processes that exclude disabled people.
• Physical- such as layout of buildings, lighting
  and signage

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Disability in Britain Lets look at some
statistics.
How many disabled people of working age are in
employment compared to non-disabled people?
How many people of working age in Britain, are
disabled?
50 compared to 81 of non-disabled people
6.8 million 1 in 5 of the total working
population
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Disability in Nottinghamshire How does the
national picture compare with Nottinghamshire?
Mansfield has the highest (pro-rata) population
of disabled people in Europe.
In 2001 almost 20 of Nottinghamshire's
population said they had a limiting long term
illness.
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• 20 of people in Nottinghamshire have some type
  of disability.
• What percentage of people who work at the County
  Council declare themselves to have a disability?
• A) 20
• B) 10
• C) 5
• D) 3
• E) Below 3

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• Disabled people in the workforce

One in 5 people in Nottinghamshire are likely to
meet the requirements of the Disability
Discrimination Act. Only 1.56 of people employed
by the County Council declare themselves as
having a disability.
Many people who work for the Council are likely
to have regular contact with disabled people in a
personal capacity as carers over 1 in 10 of the
adult population provide care to disabled people.
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• Why looking at disability is important

Disabled people are underrepresented in our
workforce. Physical barriers can be overcome, but
having systems and attitudes that include
disabled people in the workforce is more
difficult and challenging to achieve. Many
people have caring responsibilities, which means
being able to support people through flexible
working and other practices is important in
attracting and retaining staff.
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• Disabled people as customers

Disabled people are significant users of Council
Services. This is not limited to the direct
services that we provide to disabled people and
their carers, as all the services we provide
should be accessible. By conducting Service
Diversity Reviews we can assess the impact on
disabled people (and other groups) of our
services. Having a good understanding of
disability and demonstrating positive attitudes
we can remove many of the barriers that disabled
people face.
For more information about providing services to
disabled people, visit www.drc.org.uk
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Part TwoDisability Discrimination
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• How the law defines disability

In UK law the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
1995 defines disability as a physical or mental
impairment which has a substantial and long term
adverse effect on a persons ability to carry out
normal day to day activities.
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• What counts as a disability?

There are three important criteria within the DDA
definition of disability. These are - The
impairment can be physical or mental. - It must
have an adverse effect on your ability to carry
out normal day to day activities. - The effect
is long term. The Act was amended in 2005 to
include cancer, HIV and multiple sclerosis.
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• Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (Originally
  DDA 1995)
• The DDA makes it unlawful to discriminate
  against disabled people in

• Education
• Employment
• Access to goods and facilities

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• Discrimination in this context means
• - Treating a disabled person less favourably
  than an able bodied person.
• - The treatment is for a reason relating to
  their disability.
• - The treatment cannot be justified for
  example where there is a failure to make
  reasonable adjustment.
• Lets look at these three aspects in more detail.

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Less Favourable treatment This implies that the
person has been treated differently to a
non-disabled person. This can take the form of
- Direct Discrimination. - Indirect
Discrimination. - Victimisation. Each of these
must be for a reason related to the persons
disability. To find out more, click on the next
three slides.
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• Direct Discrimination
• Where you are treated less favourably compared to
  a non-disabled person in the same or similar
  situation.
• An example could be not employing someone or not
  providing them with appropriate training on the
  grounds of their disability.

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• Indirect Discrimination
• This is where a person or group of disabled
  people are disadvantaged compared to a
  non-disabled person or group.
• An example could be making changes to working
  practices or policies that people with a
  particular disability would find it hard to meet.
  

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Victimisation The DDA protects both disabled and
non-disabled people if they are treated less
favourably by their employer for bringing a
claim under the DDA or supporting someone to
claim discrimination at work under the Act.
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For discrimination to occur the treatment of the
person cannot be justified. This includes not
making reasonable adjustments. These are
changes that would overcome barriers to disabled
people. Examples include better access to
buildings, lighting, signage, and information.
The Act makes it possible for employers and
businesses not to make adjustments if this is
impractical - for example where the cost would
outweigh any benefit to disabled people.
Can the treatment be justified?
For more information about reasonable
adjustments, visit www.direct.gov.uk
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• The Disability Equality Duty
• This was introduced in December 2006.
• The aim of the duty is to promote equality of
  opportunity for people with a disability and to
  promote disability generally.
• This includes a general and specific duty to
  promote equality
• Click on the next two slides to find out more.

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• The General Duty
• Under the GENERAL duty we must
• Promote equality of opportunity between disabled
  people and non-disabled people.
• Eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under
  the DDA.
• Eliminate harassment of disabled people that is
  related to their disability.
• Promote positive attitudes towards disabled
  people.
• Encourage participation by disabled people in
  public life.
• Take steps to meet disabled peoples needs.

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• The Specific Duty
• Under the SPECIFIC duty we must
• Publish a Disability Equality Scheme and action
  plan.
• Involve disabled people in producing the scheme.
• Ensure that monitoring and reporting arrangements
  are in place for disability equality within
  employment and service delivery.

To find out more about the NCC Disability
Equality Scheme, visit www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/
raceequalityscheme.htm
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Part ThreeOvercoming Barriers
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Being Proactive
As we have seen the barriers to disabled people
being treated equally can be attitudinal,
organisational or physical. If we are to meet
our legal obligations and the Equality Duty we
must be proactive in eliminating discrimination
in the workplace. This includes looking at what
we do, and how we do it.
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Lets start by looking at language

• Look at the different terms or everyday
  expressions below.
• Which do you think are acceptable and which are
  unacceptable to use?

Invalid
Speak to you later
Going for a Walk
Handicapped
Suffering from
Able Bodied
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Lets start by looking at language
This literally means not valid so is likely to
cause offence.
Invalid
This is acceptable people who use wheelchairs
are likely to go for a walk.
Going for a Walk
Handicapped
This has negative images of people as objects of
charity associated with it. Most UK disability
charities have stopped using the term
handicapped.
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Lets start by looking at language
Speak to you later
This is acceptable people who are deaf do have
conversations!
This conveys a tragic or negative view of
disability.
Suffering from
The preferred term is non-disabled, as this
implies that disability is something physical .
Able Bodied
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Sticks and Stones

• Contrary to the old saying, names that are used
  to describe people are important.
• It is more than about being politically correct,
  it is about treating people with dignity and
  respect.
• Within the Council, there are sources of support
  that can prevent exclusion of disabled people
  from mainstream activities and services.

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Corporate Disabled Workers Group

• This is a self-managed group.
• Employees are allowed to meet in work time for
  three hours a month.
• The purpose of the group is
• To ensure that disabled workers within the
  Council are informed of any issues relevant to
  them.
• To inform and advise managers on disability
  issues and to offer advice on all policies
  affecting disabled people.

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Aims of the Group

• The group gives members the opportunity to
• Discuss any problems they may be having in
  relation to employment.
• Share how they have resolved any issues
  successfully.
• Consult with each other and provide feedback on
  our performance in relation to specific areas of
  diversity.

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What members say about the group
The group helped me to challenge decisions made
and obtain the equipment that I needed to do my
job well.
Going to the group has helped me to be more
confident in myself.
I have been amazed at how much influence we have
had in improving the employment policies and
practices for disabled people.
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Support within NCC
There are various policies, procedures and
facilities available within the Council to
support disabled people in the workplace.
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Support within NCC

• Facilities exist to produce documents in Braille,
  on tape and in other formats on request
• For further information contact the Braille
  Bureau 0115 9773157

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Support within NCC
The County Council has a contract with the Notts.
Deaf Society to provide interpreters to support
disabled people at interview and in some internal
meetings For further information, including
costs, contact the Sign Language Interpretation
Service 0115 9876984
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Support for employees

• Taxi service in lieu of essential car user
  allowances for eligible employees
• The Disabled Workers Support Group meeting in
  work time
• Membership of the National Employers Forum on
  Disability
• Financial assistance with the cost of recruiting,
  inducting and retaining a disabled person via the
  Access to Work scheme
• The Ready4Work scheme, which supports disabled
  people find and retain employment, including
  posts within the Council itself.

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Part FourWhat next?
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Useful Website Links British Council of
Disabled People www.bcodp.org.uk The Employers
Forum on Disability www.employers-forum.co.uk Foc
us on Disability a disability advice website
www.focusondisability.co.uk Disability Rights
Commission www.drc-gb.org Disability
Discrimination Act www.direct.gov.uk
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Internal Website Links NCC The authority
provides specific services for disabled adults,
disabled children and their carers. To find out
about the range of services, visit www.nottingham
shire.gov.uk/home/social_care/disabilities WorkSte
p Scheme www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/social_c
are/helpinthecommunity/supportedemployment.htm
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• Next Steps
• There is a talking heads audio to accompany
  this briefing
• If only they would ask.
• After listening to the audio and when you have
  completed this briefing, reflect on what
  disability issues you might experience
• within your team/service?
• with people who use your service?
• Discuss your thoughts with your line manager.

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• One Final Question.

At the NCC, disabled people and non-disabled
people are treated equally. Do you A) AGREE
with this statement B) DISAGREE with this
statement
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• Thank You.

You have now completed this briefing note.