Disability Equality Duty
45,000 public bodies across Great Britain are covered by the Disability Equality Duty (DED), which came into force in December 2006. The DED is meant to ensure that all public bodies such as central or local government, schools, health trusts or emergency services pay 'due regard' to the promotion of equality for disabled people in every area of their work.
The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) produced a range of information on the duty. The DRC closed at the end of September 2007, and was replaced in October 2007 by the Equality and Human Rights Commission. You can find more information on the duty and the work of the new Commission at www.equalityhumanrights.com
The DDA (Disability Discrimination Act 1995) is the law about disability discrimination. If you are disabled, or have had a disability, the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) makes it unlawful for you to be discriminated against in:
- Employment
- Trade organisations and qualifications bodies
- Access to goods, facilities and services
- Management, buying or renting of land or property
- Education
There are also DDA regulations dealing with buses, coaches and trains, which set out access standards for those vehicles to help people with mobility or sensory impairments, and learning disabilities.
The DDA was passed in 1995 to introduce new measures aimed at ending the discrimination which many disabled people face in their everyday lives. The DDA 2005 made important changes to the scope of the original legislation, including creating a legal duty for public authorities to actively promote disability equality.
Disability legislation provides disabled people with rights and places duties on those who provide services, education and employment. It also encourages employers and employees to work together to break away from rigid employment practices, identify what adjustments and support might be needed, and find flexible ways of working that may benefit the whole workforce.
'The DDA defines discrimination in a number of ways and outlines four specific types of discrimination: direct discrimination, failure to make reasonable adjustments, disability-related discrimination and victimisation.' Disability in employment
The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) says that it is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against you if you are disabled: in the terms of employment offered; in the opportunities for promotion, transfer, training or receiving any other benefit; by refusing to offer you, or deliberately not offering, any such opportunity; or by dismissing you, or subjecting you to any other negative treatment.
Disability Training
Awareness and identification of Dyslexia and other SPLDs is key to teaching working attitudes towards Dyslexia. If you are an employee or employer, your organisation may benefit from Dyslexia training and awareness, which also plots out an accessible working attitude to Dyslexia and associated SPLDs. Taking part in our training course can help to promote a positive awareness of Dyslexia and related SPLDs in the work place.
Disability Conciliation Service
Dyslexia can be a complicated subject to talk about. At Dyslexia Foundation we offer advice and guidance to individuals who are attributed with Dyslexia. If you have a question about Dyslexia, please feel free to contact us on our Freephone advice line.
Disability Conciliation is an opportunity for disabled people and service providers to resolve cases under the DDA. It is a "win/win" situation where parties come together in a one-off meeting to find their own solutions.
For more information, please see http://www.dcs-gb.net/index.php.
Useful legal links
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/
For more information about the latest Disability and Equality Act 2010, please see: http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/
Information about SENDA 2001 – Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2001/ukpga_20010010_en_1
