Cathy launches Disability Report

The Scottish Parliament’s Equal Opportunities Committee has launched a new report, ‘Removing Barriers and Creating Opportunities’.

“The report is the product of two years of work, taking evidence about the barriers to participation faced by disabled people across the length and breadth of the country.” said Falkirk East MSP Cathy Peattie, who is Convener of the committee.

“The 340-page report addresses the key issues of work, further and higher education and leisure. It also examines the barriers caused by inaccessible transport, poor physical access, limited information provision and the attitudes of people towards disabled people.

"We believe that these far-reaching recommendations for change listed in the report will result in real improvements in the lives of disabled people in Scotland and we challenge all organisations named in the report to raise their service provision to a level which ensures equal access to all disabled people.”

The unanimous report makes 156 wide-ranging, far-reaching recommendations, including:

• A new approach to employment support for disabled people;

• More information for employers to assist them in employing disabled people – and the need to make their recruitment methods more flexible;

• A fundamental review of careers guidance to young disabled people in schools to help them move more easily into higher or further education;

• A call for the Scottish Executive to develop a coherent and comprehensive transport strategy for disabled people – and to work with rail companies to improve accessibility at railway stations;

• A strategic and national approach to tackling negative attitudes towards disabled people, including disability equality training, high profile media campaigns and education for school children; and

• All equality training should include disability equality training devised by disabled people themselves
  

A key objective of the inquiry was to ensure that disabled people were involved at all stages. The committee held eight consultation events across Scotland, from Kirkwall to Ayr, with the aim of hearing at first hand the views of disabled people, service providers, employers and other key stakeholders. The committee then consulted disabled people on the draft recommendations before publishing the final report today.

The report will be the most accessible report published by the Parliament. As well as being published in larger size 14 font, alternative formats of the summary of recommendations will also be available in Easy Read, Braille and British Sign Language DVD. For more information on the disability inquiry and to download a copy of the report, go to: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/equal/inquiries/disability/disability-home.htm

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