Disability Equality Scheme

From December 2006 The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 has been amended to place a duty on all public bodies to promote disability equality.

The new positive duty is modelled on the race equality duty, as laid in the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. The general duty states that every public authority, shall, in carrying out its functions, have due regard to the need to:

Promote equality of opportunity between disabled people and others
Eliminate discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability
Discrimination Act
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 people's needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment

The purpose of this document is to:

We have published this Disability Equality Scheme to demonstrate how we intend to fulfil the General and Specific Duties.
We have involved disabled people in the development of the scheme.
The scheme includes a statement of:
- the way in which we have involved disabled people in the development of the scheme
- our methods for Impact Assessment
- steps which we will take towards fulfilling the General Duty (the action plan)
- our arrangements for gathering information in relation to employment, service delivery and access.
- Our arrangements for putting the information gathered to use, in particular in reviewing the effectiveness of our action plans and in preparing subsequent disability equality schemes.
We will within three years of the scheme being published, take the steps set out in our action plans (unless it is unreasonable or impractical for individual organisations to do so) and put into effect arrangements for gathering and making use of information.
We will publish a report containing a summary of the steps taken under our action plans, the results of our information gathering and the use to which we have put the information.

Staffordshire's Vision

As equal opportunity employers in Staffordshire, we are committed to promote disability equality within the community and in the workplace with regards to service delivery, access and employment by:

Promoting equality of opportunity between disabled people and others:
Ensuring that disability equality is embedded throughout strategic objectives and Corporate Plans.
Promoting equality in the delivery of services in both access and provision.
Ensuring that Service Users and employees are treated with dignity and respect at all times regardless of their disability.
Seeking to ensure that when we commission services, work in partnership or procure goods or services that the organisations that we work with understand, adhere to and practice equal opportunity policies.
Putting measures in place to ensure that our workforces reflect the community we serve.
Taking steps to meet disabled people's needs, even if this requires more favourable treatment.

Eliminating discrimination that is unlawful under the Disability Discrimination Act:

Making the environment as safe as possible for disabled people.
Ensuring that no existing or potential employee or service user will receive less favourable treatment than another on the grounds of disability.
Promoting positive attitudes towards disabled people.

Eliminating harassment of disabled people that is related to their disability:

Providing a positive and supportive work environment for employees with a disability, which is free from harassment and where individuals are encouraged to realise their full potential.

Encouraging participation by disabled people in public life:

Engaging with organisations and individuals who are able to represent the community in order to assist in the design and evaluation of policies and services.

For more information about our disability equality scheme, please click here

Last Modified: 14/03/2007 16:10:33
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