What does the disability equality duty mean for disability practitioners?

Beyond Compliance:

NADO Annual Conference 2005

University of Warwick

Introductions

• Dr James Palfreman-Kay, NADO & Bournemouth University

• Liz Sutherland, Equality Challenge Unit

• Ruth Thei, HEFCE

• Kate Goddard, Skill

Aims of the workshop

• To help identify where institutional responsibility for compliance with DED lies

• To share some early observations on institutional responses to DED

• To discuss how disability practitioners might be most effectively involved in supporting their institution to implement the DED

Disability Equality Duty (1)

Due regard to the need to:

– promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and other people

– eliminate discrimination against disabled people– eliminate disability-related harassment

Disability Equality Duty (2)

– encourage participation by disabled people in public life

– promote positive attitudes towards disabled people

Proactive anticipatory planning with clear objectives and sign off by the governing body of the organisation

Perspectives - DED

• Funding council perspective (HEFCE)

• Employer/employee perspective (ECU)

• Disability Practitioner perspective (NADO)

• Students perspective (SKILL)

Some observations on initial responses and challenges (1)

• University of Bournemouth & NADO – responses and challenges for an Institution / Organisation - James Palfreman- Kay

• HEFCE –responses and challenges they have observed to date – Ruth Thei

• ECU – responses and challenges they have observed to date –Liz Sutherland

Some observations on initial responses and challenges (2)

• Skill – responses and challenges observed to date

- the student perspective – Kate Goddard

• Your own observations and questions about both responses and challenges

What would be an appropriate/effective role for the

Disability Practitioner?

• Engaging disabled people – the potential role of the Head of Disability Service/Disability Officer etc … in assisting with this process in relation to

– staff (small group 1)– students (small group 2)– members of the community (small group 3)

What would be an appropriate/effective role for the

Disability Practitioner?

• Improving baseline data - the potential role of the Head of Disability Service/Disability Officer etc … in assisting with this process in relation to

– staff (small group 4)– students (small group 5)– members of the community (small group 6)

Next Update on the DED & DDA

Disability Equality Duty and Update on the Discrimination Act 2005

A NADO Ltd Conferencein partnership with the Disability Rights Commission and Bond Pearce Solicitors

THURSDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 2005CROWNE PLAZA HOTEL

BIRMINGHAM CITY CENTRE

The conference will focus on preparing disability practitioners for the new Disability Equality Duty as well as updating colleagues

on issues concerning the Disability Discrimination Act.