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Disability strategy
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New strategies to improve the lives of disabled people have been unveiled by the Number 10 strategy unit.

 

The report says that by 2025 disabled people should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life, and be respected as equal members of society.

 

Minister for disabled people Maria Eagle, health minister Stephen Ladyman and education minister Lord Filkin launched the report, highlighting the ways it will require cross-departmental action to achieve it's aims.

 

Government Response: Department for Work and Pensions

 

Maria Eagle, minister for disabled people, said: "This report builds on the considerable achievements of this government in combating disability discrimination and in delivering civil rights for disabled people through the Disability Discrimination Bill, which is currently going through parliament.

 

"This report is the next step, which sets out a radical vision for delivering choices and opportunities for disabled people over the next 20 years. It sets out a full programme of action to support disabled people in leading independent lives. This will lead to significantly greater participation and inclusion of disabled people in the economy and in society."

 

Stakeholder Response: Disability Rights Commission

 

Bert Massie, chairman of the DRC, said: "The report advocates the culture shift that’s needed for disabled people to be active citizens, take control of their own lives and have the freedom to be part of, and contribute fully to, the life of our communities and to the economy.

 

"In particular the DRC welcomes the drive to put control in disabled people’s own hands, so that they run their own lives and live independently. Disabled people expect choices and it is fundamental that there should be an end to disabled people being placed in residential or nursing homes against their wishes."

 

Stakeholder Response: National Autistic Society

 

Vernon Beachamp, chief executive of the NAS, said: "Currently only six per cent of people with autism are in full time employment, which is an appalling figure, given the very real benefits they can bring to the workplace and the improvement that work brings to a person's independence and quality of life.

 

"We are particularly pleased to see the emphasis on engaging employers and on the improvements to the Access to Work scheme, which is currently failing people with autism.

 

"In addition, a recent NAS survey found that only a third of disability employment advisers feel they have sufficient knowledge to support people with autism.

 

"It is imperative that this report brings about the much needed improvements in training and support for job brokers, to enable them to fulfil their role as a vital link between people with autism and the workplace."

 

Stakeholder Response: Royal National Institute of the Blind

 

Steve Winyard, RNIB’s head of public policy, said: "One of the central messages of the report is that if you're old and disabled you really don't matter. It focuses strongly on disabled children and disabled people of working age but has little or nothing to say about the plight of the millions of disabled people over retirement age.

 

"This is the worst form of age discrimination. There are 1.8 million people in the UK with a sight problem over the age of 60. Three quarters of blind and partially sighted people live in or on the margins of poverty and many experience acute social isolation, unable to get out of their homes.

 

"Less than half are receiving regular support from social services and many lack the low vision equipment and rehabilitation support that would allow them to maintain quality of life.

 

"Despite RNIB's detailed submissions to the prime minister's strategy unit, the needs of older people with sight problems have been ignored. RNIB is also disappointed that significant additional funds have not been found to tackle the needs of blind and partially sighted and other disabled people."

 

Stakeholder Response: Disabilities Trust

 

A spokesman for the Disabilities Trust said:

"The Disabilities Trust welcomes the publication of the Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report on disabled people's lives here in the UK. The Trust was able to have some input last year into the development of the report and we're glad to see that it represents a genuine attempt at 'joined-up' government and that it has been launched with the personal backing of Tony Blair. The report is indeed comprehensive in its analysis of the barriers that currently prevent disabled people from fully participating in our society and contains some innovative ideas as to how to tackle and reduce those barriers.

 

"In particular the idea of creating an individual budget for people to pool and control their benefits and allow them to 'buy-in' services is welcome, as it could help facilitate much more independence and choice for disabled people. In addition the report rightly focuses on the importance of adequate services during the transition from childhood to adulthood. This is an area where traditionally provision has tended to be piece-meal and disjointed and if the ideas around integrated planning and a 'menu' of services can be realised, it would be a major step forward in supporting disabled people at this crucial time in their lives."  

 

Stakeholder Response: Leonard Cheshire

 

John Knight, head of policy, said: "The proposal in this report for an Office for Disability Issues is very close to what we have been calling for, so we're delighted they have listened and agreed with our conclusions. We believe this is an important development that has the potential to make a real difference." 

 

"Policies from all government departments can have an impact on disabled people, so having a mechanism to co-ordinate policies and ensure unified goals is extremely important. The most important factor, of course, is that the policies have to be right in the first place."

 

Stakeholder Response: Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

 

A spokesman for Guide Dogs said: "For our blind and partially sighted clients, the guide dog provides freedom, mobility and independence - yet this is often restricted by barriers in infrastructure, design and attitude.

 

"Guide Dogs welcomes any new guidelines which can make a real difference by enhancing mobility.

 

"We are campaigning to enhance accessibility to public transport (Guide Dogs Travel Charter), high street services (Open Your Doors campaign), the pedestrian environment (Safer Streets), and are about to launch access guidelines for GP surgeries.

 

"For Guide Dogs, it is unacceptable that visually impaired people continue to face any barriers, and we will look at opportunities to work with government, other charities and interest groups to remedy the situation."

 

Stakeholder Response: Shaw Trust

 

Ian Charlesworth, managing director,  said:"The report Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People is a radical step forward, taken by a government that has done much to address the problems of people with disabilities, but it doesn't go nearly far enough.

 

"Organisations like Shaw Trust are achieving life-changing results for people every day, but we are frustrated by government programme limits.

 

"We want a cohesive programme of action, with government agencies working in partnership with the voluntary sector, who are closer to their client groups and making a real difference to their lives.

 

“The Prime Minister's Strategy Unit report, published on January 19, acknowledges that barriers associated with disabilities often exclude people from society and asserts. This exclusion must stop now.

 

“It states that: By 2025, disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and will be respected and included as equal members of society.

 

“The report includes an action plan to make an immediate impact in the areas of Independent Living, Early years and family support, Transition to adulthood and Employment. The recommendations have been adopted as policies and implementation will be overseen by the newly set up Office for Disabled Issues, which will report to the Minister for Disabled People, Maria Eagle. Prime Minister Tony Blair will receive regular updates of progress.

 

“Shaw Trust, which is the leading provider of employment services for people with disabilities, joined experts nationwide in applauding the government action.

 

"It was an ambitious task to challenge inequalities and life chances for disabled people across the social, ethnic, gender and age spectrum. But whilst its remit is broad and far reaching, it is woefully unambitious in setting disabled people and their families and carers on a protracted 20 year programme of change.

 

"Many opportunities which the report debates could be brought forward into a more determined programme of reform with clearer goals and outcomes.

 

“Among the welcome new polices, the Trust applauds the major expansion of the Direct Payments scheme, in which disabled people are able to manage their own budget for tailor made care, and its foresight in linking the scheme with back to work programmes.

But the Trust regrets the heavy involvement of rapidly changing local authorities to drive forward the programme, insisting that expert voluntary organisations are best placed to do that.

 

“It also regrets that, whilst the Independent Living budget will be boosted in the 2006 Spending Review, there are no apparent plans to increase spending on employment programmes for disabled people.

 

"It is crucial to target disabled people as a government priority for return to work programmes, with appropriate resourcing, if we are to redress the current imbalance.

 

“Although the report criticises the results of some Job Brokers operating under the New Deal for Disabled People, Shaw Trust, which delivers 33 per cent of the programme, is outperforming targets in all areas. Our ethos is simple: we submit candidates for work that is achievable, worthwhile and sustainable.

 

 "We do not encourage candidates to opt for the first job that is available and, when employment is obtained, we work in partnership with the employer and the client to overcome barriers which may threaten success. It is disappointing that the report presents NDDP in such a negative light when that is not our experience or that of our clients.

 

"We will help 35,000 clients in total this year, but we want to help ten times that, and we have the expertise to do so.

 

"There are a lot of expert voluntary organisations operating in all the action areas targeted by the government. It makes sense to use us.

 

"If they don't, the government is missing out on the big chance to make an enormous difference now to the life chances of disabled people."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published: Wed, 19 Jan 2005 15:15:24 GMT+00

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