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Breaking the Barriers Steering Group Organisations

Breaking the Barriers 2015 Report

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Contents

Page

Foreword 5

Health and Social Care; Cuts in Care Packages 6

Continuing Healthcare 7

Primary Care 8

Community Care and Support 10

Education; Adult Education-Mainstream 13

Adult Education; Learning Difficulties / Disabilities 14

Accessibility in Mainstream Schools 16

Transitions from Primary to Secondary, Secondary to

Higher and Further Education, and Employment

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Access: Transport; Buses 21

Trains 24

Taxis 25

Blue Badge Provision; Scooters; Shared Surfaces;

Accessible Communication

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Parking; Blue Badge Parking 27

Accessibility in the Built Environment 28

Employment; Job Applications 29

Advertising 30

Recruitment 31

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Interviews 32

Workplace Barriers 33

Possible Resolutions 35

Cardiff Council Specific 36

Cllr David Groves Recommendations 37

1/ Health and Social Care 38

2/ Education 40

3/ Access 46

4/ Wayfinding and Accessibility of the Built Environment 53

5/ Wayfinding; Technology 54

6/ Employment 55

7/ Over-Arching 58

Mental Health Issues 59

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Foreword

The idea of the event was first communicated to Cardiff Council Director of Communities, Housing & Customer Services Sarah McGill by Cllr David Groves with a view to doing something that will make a difference by looking at how we can break down the barriers that disabled people (pan-impairments) face.

We know that many disabled people face barriers in their everyday lives

that prevent them from accessing services and being full and active

members of their community. We also know that some progress has been

made to make services more inclusive and accessible1. However, there is

evidence to show that progress is patchy and more needs to be done.

The vision of the Breaking the Barriers initiative as part of the Cardiff

Debate, is to assist Cardiff in becoming a more inclusive and accessible

place to live and visit, through engaging and working with disabled people

to remove barriers that get in the way of them being full and active

contributors in Cardiff, in the specific areas of Health/Social Care,

Employment, Education and Access.

To take this vision forward through the establishment of a disability

steering group, it was planned to hold over the next 3 years, annual

disability events which will seek to encourage collaboration and co-

production between disabled people, the local authority, local

organisations including local businesses, employers and service providers

in order to find solutions and take action to assist in removing the identified

barriers for disabled people in Cardiff, in the specific areas of Health/Social

Care, Employment, Education and Access. The first of these events was

held on the 20th March 2015 at Cardiff City Hall. All comments within this

report are provided by disabled people and their representatives who

attended the conference.

Councillor David Groves provides recommendations.

1 What do we mean by inclusive and accessible? We consider inclusive and accessible to be an environment which:

Engages with disabled people and includes them equally

Recognises the positive contribution that disabled people can make

Recognises physical, hidden and mental health conditions and has the means in place to be fully accessible to all conditions

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Health and Social Care

Cuts in Social Care Packages

Overarching theme of the discussion was the recognition that disabled

people’s dignity and respect should be central to care package delivery.

There is a general unease about cuts but also some innovative work;

communities coming together and putting into practice the idea of social

enterprise service delivery.

Community transport may be used more effectively by disabled people.

Its use could off-set some of the negative impacts that the reduction in

hours previously allocated for shopping. This could enable disabled

people to remain independent and less socially isolated.

Public transport is not always available and can be restrictive. Major

supermarkets could be encouraged to provide dedicated accessible

transport.

There is anecdotal evidence of shopping and then cleaning cuts in, and

24 hours packages are discouraged.

A service user has been made aware that the hours allocated for

shopping are to be withdrawn. Social Services recommended that the

service user can order shopping on-line. This particular service user has

no access to a computer and is not able to use public access computers

at the library.

It is alleged that some social workers act in a very threatening manner.

A challenge to cut Direct Payments overnight hours resulted in an

emotional and traumatic 20 month wait for a decision. The final decision

was not to cut the hours however there is no guarantee that this situation

will not reoccur.

Transition from children’s to adult services usually results in care

package cuts.

It is alleged that 11 local authorities are not supporting carers. Cuts and

reductions in Social Care services providing community care and

community support will increase the burden on mental health services.

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Continuing Healthcare

There is a general lack of awareness and understanding by service

users and service providers about what Continuing Healthcare is and

who is responsible for funding what.

There should not be barriers between one service and another.

Integration and multi-agency working needs to be encouraged,

supported, and importantly appropriately funded.

Identifying and assessing service user needs can result in delayed

transfers of care and inappropriate, expensive, longer time as in-patients

for disabled people.

Guidelines are too subjective and open to service provider’s financial

considerations and not the needs of service users.

There is a knowledge gap and confusion caused by issues such as

changes in legislation.

Some disabled people do not know where to go and are confused about

the different rules in England and Wales.

Service users are not always aware of who decides who the decision

makers are and who makes decisions about prioritising needs. Service

providers appear to not be aware of this and do not always explain

decisions in clear manner.

Service providers at all levels need to understand that one-size does not

fit all when supporting people with complex needs.

A lot of people do not understand what their entitlements are to improve

their well-being and healthcare, and what they could access while they

are undergoing assessment.

Continuing Healthcare should be based on needs, it should not matter if

you are a child or adult, have a learning disability, are an older person,

or have mental ill health.

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Primary Care

People do not always go through formal channels. This is a ‘chicken and

egg situation’; people waiting for the diagnosis want access to what is

available before the diagnosis is confirmed.

There appear to be different levels of access to information about an

individual. Some patients feel they should have access to their notes.

Consistency and building rapport is important so that a patient knows

who they can trust.

Morning drop in and open surgeries where patients do not have to pre-

book an appointment are not suitable for many people with mental ill

health and disabled people reliant on carers that arrive later than early

surgery opening times; this also relevant for parents that have had

disturbed nights. A mix of open surgery and appointments for specific

(i.e. identified) cases would be welcomed.

Primary health service providers do not have staff and GPs that can

converse in BSL and community languages. There is a lack of BSL and

community translation and interpreter services.

Using new technologies such as texting and Skype could be explored.

Some GP surgeries are wheelchair accessible, and have good

communication systems but it is patchy and some GPs that specialise in

certain health conditions are not always available.

There appears to be a lack of support for older people. This appears to

be due to funding and the boundaries and financial gatekeeping around

who should pay to support the care and medical needs of older people.

Some older people are institutionalised in their own homes, not speaking

to other people for days on end. They communicate their loneliness to

their GP and not their medical symptoms. Loneliness causes mental ill

health and impacts on medical conditions too.

Service users are not always asked how they would like their aftercare

delivered.

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Appointment time does not allow for in-depth investigation and can lead

to rushed incorrect diagnosis especially around mental ill health.

Disabled people are pigeon-holed. They become their impairment and

other medical and mental ill health conditions are overlooked or

misdiagnosed.

There is a need for cultural awareness training for GPs and staff.

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Community Care and Support

There is a tendency in Social Services for service users to fall between

services, so when one department ended its support the subsequent

department does not always continue support. Some service users do

not know who their current social worker is.

Community care and support is better for a disabled person’s health and

well-being. Disabled people who are isolated become ill. This may result

in hospital admission and general deterioration.

Service users should be allowed to be more actively involved in

assessing their care needs and made aware of all options available.

There is a general lack of up to date and relevant information and sign

posting of available community care support.

Decisions are made for disabled people and not by disabled people.

Supported accommodation should be appropriately funded and

promoted as a way of providing meaningful and supportive community

care.

Advocacy in its real form is essential - particularly for people who have

learning difficulties.

Preventative services are vital for service users. However its importance

is not widely recognised.

A central co-ordinating organisation could be considered to ensure that

community care and funding is provided equitably.

There is a lack of support for disabled people wanting to pursue

activities such as walking and singing rather than attending day centres

of other traditional service provision.

Educating service providers in the needs of, and the challenges faced by

disabled people will lead to more positive experiences for both.

Attitudes have an impact on disabled people’s lives. This is particularly

important for people experiencing mental ill health and for people who

have learning difficulties.

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Social enterprises delivering community care and support should be

promoted and supported. Social enterprises deliver ethical social care

practices.

There is a need to spend and invest in the short term to save in the long

term.

Whitchurch is well used to understanding and supporting people with

mental ill health. There has been negative feedback from Llandough

residents about having people in Llandough Hospital with mental ill

health. They ask “what do we do?”

Once discharged as an in-patient, people experiencing mental ill health

are unsure of the support available to them.

Peer to peer support in the community is important. People keep well in

the community.

The Police and Justice Services should be more aware of the needs of

people experiencing mental ill health living in the community and not

treat them as criminals. It was alleged that some are victims of

unnecessary physical restraint. Police in Whitchurch were praised for

their approach to people experiencing mental ill health.

An Acting Inspector from Fairwater Police Station was keen to look at

basic level training for police officers and to cascade ‘Dementia Friends’

training to police officers.

Older people are statistically more likely to become disabled people.

Their needs are not always recognised or supported.

Some older people are too proud to ask for help and, if they do want to,

rarely know where they can obtain support.

A neighbouring Local Authority contracts 80% of community care funds

to private agencies. It is reported the service users receive poor service.

If an individual has control it is very empowering.

Regarding care for disabled and older people, there appears to be inbuilt

expectations that family members will provide unfunded care. It was

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alleged that some families are bullied into providing care and then find

that they cannot cope.

Third sector organisations that provide community care and support for

or instead of Local Authorities should be appropriately funded.

There is a problem with expecting everyone to do something for nothing.

In Communities First areas people are rewarded and want to join in, e.g.

the Time Bank in Ely has shown positive results.

Central government has to recognise that policies on welfare and local

government cuts have a knock on impact on people’s lives.

Disabled people that need extra space for equipment or carers are

penalised by the ‘Bedroom Tax.’

There appears to be double barriers for BME, sight impaired people.

There are language and religious barriers. It is not in the training

programmes for carers to be trained about religious diversity. Carers

need to be aware of cultural or religious diversity.

Mainstream services do not understand the cultural and religious needs

of the community. A basic understanding of the needs is not there.

People need to be able to talk to people in their own language as things

get lost in translation with an interpreter.

Carers need to understand the needs of the client to be able to care for

them.

Prevention of incidents which then require ongoing support for care

needs would work better, i.e. support in place early to stop sight

impaired people falling and then requiring ongoing support.

Disabled people should raise their issues with Local Authorities.

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Education

Adult Education – Mainstream

Adult education can help alleviate social and emotional isolation.

Retirement should open the doors to adult education however, financial

and access barriers all too often stifle this opportunity.

To ensure inclusion funding is needed for translation, BSL and

community language interpretation. There is a need for speech to text

and note taker services.

Adult education could lead to employment; therefore investing in it could

pay future dividends.

Time banking and skills exchange are positive incentives to enter or

remain in adult education.

Community facilities such as Llanover Hall and Howardian are

threatened by council funding cuts. For disabled people, this would

result in the loss of accessible and relevant learning and creative

opportunities.

The cost of courses is too high. Less people enrol because it is too

expensive resulting in higher course fees or cutting the course.

Physical access is historically poor. Disabled people need reassurance

that buildings are now accessible. Who defines accessible?

Good access to learning opportunities should be publicised and

promoted. This will encourage more participation and promote best

practice as an incentive to other service providers.

There is need for more NVQ, practical and life skills courses. Vocational

training is a poor cousin to academic learning. However it is valuable to

people’s well-being.

Reductions in adult education opportunities could lead to an increase in

the need for mental health services - increasing social isolation for

disabled people. Benefits of such courses as cake making and creative

writing are therapeutic; the benefits of such courses can be tremendous.

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Adult Education – Learning Difficulties/Disabilities

Generally there is a lack of availability of suitable courses. Specialised

courses are held in one area that means people have to travel great

distances to attend.

Where there are courses for people who have learning difficulties, there

is a lack of personal, 1:1 support. Smaller class or group sizes are more

beneficial.

Moving away from using technical jargon helps people to understand

subjects and encourages their participation.

Some banks will not allow people who have learning difficulties to open

their own personal bank accounts. This limits how they can pay for

courses and negatively impacts on their autonomy. Disabled people

regardless of their impairments should be allowed choice and choice

and control.

There should be more work experience opportunities for people who

have learning difficulties. Work experience is a form of informal learning.

It inspires confidence and promotes independence.

Work training in retail, charities, and service sector offer good

opportunities for people who have learning difficulties. Organisations

such as RSPCA, McDonalds, M&S and student unions offer these

opportunities.

Unless attending day centres regularly, suitable courses information is

hard to access.

Courses held at good, accessible venues such as Sbectrwm

encouraged participation. Pontypridd College has access issues

including unsuitable course materials and building access. Barry College

did provide more accessible course materials and provided a minibus as

did Bridgend College. Rumney College provided good access and

support. However, there was a 7 month wait until enough students

enrolled to run the course

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Job Centre Plus services could include adult education support and

financial support to attend courses suitable for people who have learning

difficulties.

It appears that for younger people attending college is made easier than

for adults.

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Accessibility in Mainstream Schools

Extending the basic management and running of schools guidelines to

best practice could create more inclusive education experiences for

disabled students.

There is a lack of consistency when interpreting regulations, eligibility,

and support criteria.

The meaning and implementation of reasonable adjustments leads to

unsupported and excluded disabled students.

Assisted technologies to integrate disabled students should be given

due consideration. Generally there is a lack of technical support staff.

Peer support should be encouraged to enhance disabled student

experiences and raise confidence.

The drastic reduction of or cuts to the provision of inclusion officers in

mainstream schools has a negative impact.

The question needs to be asked as to the value and/or need for

statementing when so many disabled children attend mainstream

schools

For the majority of disabled students attending mainstream schools

bullying is a major issue. Bullying and discrimination is rarely discussed

but does occur. Again it is about labelling. One example discussed was

that of a young lad who is a Muslim and also has cerebral palsy. His

issues are compounded 3, 4, or 5, times because of the attitudes in

schools and amongst his peers.

The negative attitudes of other children and staff towards disabled

students need to be addressed and not ignored. It is a form of bullying.

There is a lack of relevant and practical disability awareness training for

teachers. Training should focus on practicalities and not legislation.

Some built environment barriers could be eliminated by the provision

and use of automatic doors, and paying attention to acoustics and

lighting in shared spaces.

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It appears that simple interventions such as the provision of note takers

for disabled students have not been discussed with the pupil or their

parents/guardians.

Some disabled students find that their support workers are barriers to

integrating with their peer groups.

Consideration should be made to provide alternatives to mainstream

schooling. Home schooling allows for learning to continue however, may

not be suitable for science subjects.

Head teachers and staff absorbed by the increasing demands that they

have to tackle generally can mean that they do not have time or other

resource to support disabled students.

Concern was raised that unless disabled students can enrol in the

education system per se, there is little point in providing accessible

schools.

Teachers may not always be trained in issues around disability or

specific impairments. Quite often the lack training is not identified until a

disabled student is in the classroom.

It needs to be noted that other students benefit from having a disabled

student in the classroom.

It is a concern that accidental segregation may occur when adjustments

are made for disabled students.

Teachers need to be trained in the differences between mental ill health

and naughtiness. Children who experience mental ill health may ‘drop

out’ of mainstream education because they are labelled as trouble

makers. They can become socially and educationally excluded.

To break down barriers, improve understanding and promote inclusivity,

schools as community hubs should be considered. Excellent mainstream

support for disabled pupils should be extended past 4’oclock. This may

encourage the community to become more engaging and accepting of

young disabled people. Without this, they feel socially isolated in their

own neighbourhood.

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Focusing only on a diagnosis; quite often so much emphasis is put on a

diagnosis by professionals that we can only get an assessment if there

is a diagnosis. There is a danger in having a diagnosis that can mask

other disabled student needs. An example given was of a young boy,

15/16 years of age, who has Down’s Syndrome. He went through all his

school life with support given because of that particular identified need.

However, until he prepared for leaving school it was not recognised that

he also needed Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

Across education as a whole, there is a need to need to work collectively

to identify under the radar families who are not accessing services or

receiving diagnoses until very late on in a disabled student’s education.

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Transition from Primary to Secondary, Secondary to Higher and

Further Education, and Employment

It is important to ensure students, families, and parents have enough

information about services that are available to them including services

from the third sector as well as statutory services.

Concern was raised that there appears to be a lack of information for

parents in community languages.

There appears to be a lack of consistency in terms of transitioning from

one level to another. It is hoped that there will possibly be an

improvement with the new Additional Learning Needs Bill.

In terms of transitioning to higher education; late UCAS and University

allocation of places for disabled students results in a small window to

source and implement support provision.

Disabled students, families and parents should be encouraged to

disclose a disabled student’s status.

A possible solution to the lack of information and to assist with

information sharing, a list of available resources (ensuring that the

information is in accessible formats) could be researched, developed

and regularly maintained. The use of websites familiar to families and

professionals may be one way to share information and support. It must

be considered that not everybody is able to access the internet.

Schools should work jointly with other agencies involved in their disabled

student lives, plan in advance, and research what is available in

catchment areas. This could avoid last minute panics and make

transitions smoother and less stressful for everyone.

There appears to be a total lack of support for disabled students

transitioning from secondary school directly to employment. Liaising with

empathetic local employers may address some of the transitions barriers

disabled students face.

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Earlier, more relevant transitions arrangements may address some of

the transitions barriers disabled students face.

Ensuring multi-disciplinary working, a consistent transitions key worker,

advocates, and mentors, creates confidence and inspires disabled

students to attain.

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Access

Transport; Buses

The abrupt manner and lack of disability and older people’s awareness

amongst some bus drivers and bus company staff leads to intimidating

and frightening experiences for some disabled people. In turn this may

lead to social isolation. Lack of time or understanding for bus

passengers who have speech impairments may have the same

outcome.

Many wheelchair users reported that there is a refusal by some bus

drivers to deploy wheelchair ramps.

Negative and dismissive attitudes of staff on some Cardiff Buses are a

major barrier. Disabled passengers have to ask for the ramps to be

lowered which some feel draws unwanted attention to them, especially if

they have a ‘hidden’ disability. It leaves disabled people open to abuse

as others may perceive the individual as being difficult or wanting

‘special treatment’.

Disability awareness training that is more than a paper and tick box

exercise is essential. Ideally the training should be delivered by disabled

people. Training appears to be about legislation and problems and not

about how to practically assist disabled passengers. Basic, practical BSL

could be learned by bus drivers.

Despite the provision of CCTV, accidents and incidents are not recorded

properly and there is a lack of confidence by disabled people to report

them. There appears to be a definite lack of accountability that is to bus

companies’ advantage.

It is important that bus companies receive and act upon feedback from

disabled people so they know how to improve their services.

Easy to read timetables would assist people who have learning

difficulties and the general public too.

There is nothing put in place to let people with visual impairments know

which stop they are at whilst on the bus.

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Buses do not always pull up alongside bus stops. This can be due

inconsiderate car parking.

Bus drivers do not wait for people to sit down before they pull off. It

appears timetable pressures dominate how drivers drive.

Not all buses appear to use low floor access.

Ongoing development and redevelopment of Cardiff Central Square and

bus station is unsafe and confusing for disabled people.

Information with regard to transport changes in Cardiff have to be easy

to understand.

Cardiff Bus suddenly removes routes without given the public prior

notice.

Straight through, direct buses are required for some journeys due to the

difficulties in changing buses.

There is overall confusion about where to go for information on Cardiff

Buses as the main bus stop has moved. People are unsure which bus

stop they should be going to.

There are frequent road closures when there is a match which limits how

close disabled people can get to the city centre. There can also be a

limited service further impacting on this.

PA/carer concessions are limited to one per disabled person when

sometimes there is need for more i.e. two-to-one care.

It was questioned whether Direct Payments would cover additional PAs

to travel on buses with their disabled employer.

Brighton has an accessible bus scheme that Cardiff could adopt.

Bus stops are poorly lit; this is dangerous for everyone and causes

additional problems for sight impaired people. The lack of contrast

compounds the lack of light for sight impaired people.

Bus stop areas are too small this leads to overcrowding and in wet

weather an uncomfortable experience.

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Some bus stops at UHW Heath Hospital are obstructed by railings

surrounding them.

There are bus stops on City Road obstructed by bollards.

Not all bus stops have a dropped kerb causing difficulties getting on the

bus.

To allay pain caused by speed bumps, future bus fleets could be

constructed with a wider rear axle. Generally, disabled people should be

engaged in bus design discussions.

Thinner seating on new buses is uncomfortable.

(This is mentioned above) Some signs are unclear and confusing.

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Trains

The refusal of some train staff to deploy wheelchair ramps from the

station to train carriages; the ramps can assist parents with prams too.

Not all train station platforms are provided with wheelchairs.

Having to book in advance on trains is discriminatory, e.g. disabled

people have to book journeys ahead if they want a ramp to be available.

Some train stations are inaccessible due to no lift facilities.

On trains there is a need for more accessible toilets.

The signs are not always clear or visible for where entrance, exits, toilets

etc.

The gap between train and platform is too wide.

Taxis

Lack of wheelchair accessible taxis.

Some inaccessible taxis arrive despite accessible taxi being booked.

Some taxi drivers openly discriminate by refusing to take sight impaired

people with their guide dogs and refusing to deploy wheelchair ramps.

There may be possible religious and cultural reasons for them refusing

to take a guide dog in the car. It is illegal for them to refuse as one

protected characteristic cannot be used to discriminate against another.

The issue is that anyone with a visual impairment will not be able to take

the taxi number to report the driver.

The taxi firms in Cardiff are very good when a disabled passenger

telephones to book a taxi. However, the same is not true for taxis at taxi

ranks. The ranks on St Mary's Street and near the castle are very poor.

Driver identification cards are not available in Braille, making it

impossible for a blind person to check it themselves.

Taxi ranks in Cardiff Station are dangerous and even accessible taxis

cannot always be boarded safely.

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Taxi wranglers are very useful for the taxi ranks. They take away the

option for the drivers to discriminate and say no.

There are some exempla taxi drivers who should be setting the example

to others.

Disability awareness training should be a mandatory requirement for taxi

licence holders. As with bus drivers, this should be relevant and practical

and not focus on legislation.

RNIB have worked a lot with Cardiff Bus and offered training to them

around helping disabled customers. Taxi drivers need more training like

this.

It was suggested that too many accessible taxis are sited at taxi ranks

therefore making them unavailable to book.

It was suggested that the more aware and understanding taxi drivers are

the ones that have contracts for disabled children.

Councillors have updated the taxi licences so that all new taxis have to

be accessible. As a result there are a lot of accessible taxis in Cardiff.

However, it appears that this causes taxis to be very expensive in Cardiff

as there are many drivers competing for fares and they are trying to

make a living.

There is the need to set up meetings between service users and the taxi

drivers to create a better understanding of the issues facing service

users.

Blue Badge Provision

There is a degree of uncertainty regarding Blue Badge eligibility.

It appears that some local authorities do not remind Blue Badge holders

to renew. It was argued that this is the Blue Badge holder’s responsibility

and sending reminders is an unnecessary expense for councils.

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Scooters

Supermarket-provided scooters cannot be taken outside the store.

Disabled people have to wait for staff assistance to carry their shopping

to their car.

Shared Surfaces

Some cyclists are too fast.

Visually impaired people do hear approaching cyclists. This is more of a

safety issue if the cyclist is travelling at speed.

Cyclists that collide with a pedestrian cannot be identified.

Accessible Communication

Technology could be used better particularly assisted technologies.

There is too must jargon and complicated language used.

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Parking

Where on street ‘disabled’ parking is available, the parking bays are too

small and do not always have dropped kerbs

Drop kerbs are very difficult to navigate when cars park on the pavement

and over dropped kerbs. This forces people to walk around the car and

puts them in danger in road. Plus, this makes it more difficult to get off

the kerb.

Legally, parking on a dropped kerb has the same connotations as

parking on a zebra crossing. So, there are simple solutions. The

legislation is there already. When a car is parked on the pavement and

blocks the path it is known as an 'unnecessary obstruction'. This causes

issues for sight impaired people when using a guide dog as the dogs are

trained to look for enough space on the path to pass safely. When the

car is parked on the pavement the dog does not see a safe space to

pass. It therefore resorts to taking a path as if crossing the road and then

goes around the car. This puts the service user in danger in the road.

Blue Badge Parking

There appears to be the presumption that disabled bays and Blue Badge

parking bays are free to use by non-disabled people after 6:30PM. Are

disabled people not allowed out that late?

Who polices Blue Badge and disabled parking bays?

There should be longer parking times for disabled workers that have to

park on streets with waiting restrictions.

There should be more provision of disabled parking spaces for disabled

staff.

Illegal parking on pavements is dangerous. Could a reporting system

where a photo is taken on a phone of the illegally parked vehicle and

sent to 111 be set up?

Refuse collections can cause issues for some disabled people.

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Accessibility – Built Environment

Visual contrast is a vital safety element that appears to be ignored by

some architects and designers.

Lighting is another vital safety design element that does not appear to be

important to some designers.

Signage is too small, not appropriately sited, or missing altogether.

Braille does not always accompany standard signage and if provided

should be at the appropriate height.

Signs should be available at wheelchair height.

There should be more of use of symbols for signs.

Liaise with other cities throughout the country that have examples of

signage best practice.

Some toilets are not accessible even if they are described as such, the

cubicles are too small, the doors too heavy, and layout can be

dangerous.

There should be more Changing Places and the ones that are provided

such as the Senedd should be easier and less embarrassing to access.

The siting of accessible toilets should be considered, they are not

always appropriate. For example, siting an accessible toilet in a gender

specific toilet can lead to embarrassment for everyone.

The use and provision of RADAR accessible toilets has been a subject

of ongoing discussion for many years and has not been resolved.

Potholes and uneven pavements are dangerous not only for disabled

people.

It was proposed that looking at other cities with the best practices to find

out what we can learn can only ever be beneficial.

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Employment - Job Applications

When a post becomes available, there can be requirements in the

essential criteria that immediately put barriers in place, e.g. does the

position actually require someone to be a car driver or, is it just to enable

the employee to access places more quickly?

Some disabled people may perceive their own barriers and think that

they may not be capable of carrying out the role e.g. a person with social

anxiety may feel that they will have difficulties with aspects of the role

such as speaking on the phone or attending events so will not even

apply.

Some disabled people may have not have received appropriate careers

guidance or access to opportunities due to their additional needs.

The tick scheme is not clear. Some disabled people think they have the

right to be interviewed and believe the scheme does not make much

difference as not many disabled people are applying for jobs.

Regarding confidence when applying for jobs, disabled people could go

to the Job Centre, voluntary organisations and the NHS for assistance.

Societal barriers are a major problem. Too many people think that

disabled people take too much sick leave or can’t do the work.

More job coaches are needed.

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Advertising

Majority of posts are advertised online but statistics show that there are

a lower percentage of households with access to the internet if there are

disabled people in the household.

With online recruitment job adverts the application form completion

process is not accessible to all disabled people.

For sight impaired people some websites are not as easy to read with

assistive technology for individuals with a visual impairment.

It was identified that there can be difficulties with attracting disabled

applicants.

Adverts in newspapers may be in very small print so are not easy to

read.

Wording in job advertisements needs to be changed to truly welcome

disabled people, not just an obligatory line which states disabled people

will be considered.

Most people need internet access to view jobs now including jobs

advertised through the Job Centre.

31

Recruitment

Application forms are not always easy to complete online depending on

the format and may be incompatible with assistive technology.

Some employers may be reluctant to employ disabled people who may

require workplace adaptations. ‘Reasonable adjustments’ is open to

interpretation making employers unsure what adjustments they should

provide.

Cuts made to the Access to Work funding makes it difficult to obtain the

funding necessary for any adaptations.

A person who has mental ill health may not have reasonable

adjustments taken into account as easily as it can be a ‘hidden

disability’.

There is negativity regarding disabled people. Those shortlisting

candidates for interview already know if a person is disabled therefore,

assumptions around that candidate’s potential are already being made.

Some employers fear that employing a disabled person will incur

excessive costs and that high levels of additional support will need to be

put in place to accommodate them.

Some organisations have the disclosure forms separate from the

applications when shortlisting but this may not be the case for all

organisations.

One Breaking the Barriers participant stated that in a previous role she

was told to shortlist candidates to be interviewed for a position, and to

eliminate disabled and older people.

Employers may be reluctant to employ disabled people because they do

not know how to accommodate their access requirements.

There is the dilemma of whether to disclose a disability with the thought

that it may impact on being offered a position or whether to not disclose

but then needing to disclose at a later date if they are recruited.

32

Interviews

Are employers prepared to make adjustments for job interviews to get

the best out of that candidate?

There can be physical barriers for people attending interviews such as

the accessibility of the building e.g. ramps for wheelchair users, power

assisted doors, lifts, etc.

There are barriers during the interviews such as the need for a scribe or

if the disabled applicant is expected to deliver a presentation the

whiteboard may be too high to reach.

Some disabled people were questioned on disclosure information with

regards to their suitability for the post, and asked if they were ‘better

now’.

Employers assume that it is okay to ask questions relating to an

individual’s impairment.

33

Workplace Barriers

People who have mental ill health often face stigma from employers.

Employers often think people who have experienced mental ill health

cannot cope with more responsibility or increased working hours. This

perception is a barrier to their career progression.

Employers/organisations’ responses to staff who have mental ill health

differ. Some are very supportive, while other organisations have staff

that do not disclose mental ill health for fear of being poorly treated.

Policies do not guarantee a particular response for an employee. It is

essential to understand if or how an organisation implements those

policies.

Most people will encounter mental ill health, either themselves or

someone close to them at some stage therefore the invisible barriers

society places around mental ill health are ridiculous.

Employees who speak out for themselves or on behalf of another person

are often branded trouble makers and this is a barrier to their career

progression. Can more be done to protect whistle blowers?

People who have visual or hearing impairments often experience

barriers because lack of effective communication can mean employers

assume they are not capable of certain standards of work.

A note taker supporting a person who has sensory impairment could

offer a solution to the barriers with regard to professional progression.

As with other inventions like sign language training, this is reliant on

available funding.

Disabled people can be deemed unreliable by employers because of

external factors like transport impeding their ability to maintain a record

of punctuality.

Disabled people often have difficulty travelling to work, particularly if they

are reliant on accessible public transport or taxi services.

Employers often confuse disability and chronic illness.

34

Employers class sickness and disability leave as the same. Disability

leave should cover hospital, doctors’ and any other impairment specific

appointments.

Some disabled people may take longer to recover from illnesses such as

flu. Employers may have difficulty in understanding this.

There needs to be an element of common sense on the part of the

employer. Employers need to treat individuals fairly.

Employment tribunals support disabled people when disability

discrimination occurs and reasonable adjustments are not made.

Being treated appropriately to your needs is vital.

Creating a culture to set the tone in an organisation is important. There

may be a tendency for people in an organisation to feel that revealing

too much about your condition will risk your position in the company.

Some adjustments may take a long time to bring about the necessary

changes.

The HR department in an organisation needs to be independent and

available to support staff and employers constructively.

Public services have a poor reputation in the media when it comes to

equality. However, when compared to other councils in the UK, Cardiff

Council is not too bad.

Good disability awareness training for staff in organisations is important.

Often the employer does not realise how productive a [disabled]

employee can be in achieving goals and completing the job. [They

underestimate a disabled employee’s abilities].

Once a disabled person is employed, the support to maintain their

position is there but prior to being employed; the support to obtain a job

is inferior.

There are no tax breaks for employers who employ disabled people. If

there were this might increase employment rates for disabled people but

could also mean employing disabled people for the wrong reasons, i.e. it

35

could lead to making jobs for disabled people rather than them being

employed on their merit to do the same job as everyone else.

It is difficult balancing benefits and work.

Possible Resolutions

Employers should consult with the public sector about how to engage

with disabled people.

Making application forms easier to access and easier to fill in e.g.

increase font size, use of appropriate colour,

Include statements in job advertisements stating that the employer

supports the employment of disabled people. Applicants would feel less

singled out if they are aware that they will have support from the outset.

Asking the employees during supervisions if there are any

considerations the employer could make to support them with their daily

tasks e.g. if someone experiences anxiety they may appreciate being

able to be physically situated where there is minimum disruption.

36

Cardiff Council specific

Cardiff Council is looking to bring about changes to its Personnel and

HR departments as a part of the development of the managers and

educate them about disability.

Cardiff Council HR is responsible for reviewing attendance and staff

well-being as well as reasonable adjustments policies. It is currently

trying to gather information on how to feed into these policies and

practices. At the moment it does review absences on a case by case

basis for each individual

There would be some discretion around making the organisations that

Cardiff Council funds display and implement good practice [and similar

practices to the ones Cardiff Council use]. More needs to be done to

raise the awareness of Cardiff Council staff. There is new information

available around equality and disability.

Information needs to be cascaded down from management. Plus,

refresher training on the Equalities Act and reasonable adjustment would

be beneficial. A common sense approach should always be used.

Flexibility with regards to working time could be used [i.e. flexible hours]

to really support the individual. This is obviously down to the discretion

of the employer however.

Cardiff Council is trying to encourage flexible working as much as

possible using common sense approaches. It will justify when this is not

possible and have a policy where it is possible for a staff member to

move teams [from one with no flexible hours to a team that does have

flexible working].

Cardiff Council middle managers are now being trained how to deal with

sickness and absences. It is trying to bring sickness and absences up in

the agenda in order to change the current culture.

37

Breaking the Barriers

recommendations

Councillor David Groves

38

1. Health and Social Care

1.1. Local Authority Social Care cuts have been made in cooking,

cleaning and shopping. Some DLA Care / PIP recipient service users

have been told that these have been de-commissioned, and that if

service users wish to continue to receive them, they must arrange this

for themselves and pay the full market rate.

Recommendation 1: All Local Authority social care cuts must be

stopped, and those made, must be reversed. All social care must be

appropriately comprehensive in range, and free at the point of use.

Method of achievement: The relevant Welsh Government Minister

must extend statutory entitlement, on an all-Wales basis, so that it

embraces these shopping, cleaning and cooking elements of social care.

Timescale: Urgent. All parties to meet, ASAP.

1.2. Continuing Health Care. Greater understanding and clarity is

needed regarding this area: E.G. what help and support it provides and

who is responsible for funding which elements.

Recommendation 2: Greater funding is needed to facilitate closer inter-

agency working.

Method: All parties need to come together to agree clear Modus

Operandi, through the co-ordination of the UHB.

Timescale: To meet by the middle of December.

1.3. Primary Health Care. Profound access barriers persist. These

need to be addressed by flexible arrangements which overcome the

specific barriers experienced by individual patients.

Recommendation 3: Personalised, barrier-free accessible pathways

need to be provided for all disabled people, through their specific

primary care practice, which both facilitate equality of access and

39

appropriate appointment lengths to achieve equality of health outcomes.

Annual Health checking for all disabled people should be introduced.

Method: Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), General

Practitioners Council (GPC) and Welsh Government Health Minister

should all meet to unlock the necessary funding.

Timescale: ASAP – but not later than the end of November.

1.4. Community Care and Support. The reach and the range of social

care seems to be narrowing, which undermines social inclusion of

disabled people.

Recommendation 4: Community care needs to be comprehensive and

universally provided, to a common standard, across Wales. Negative

attitudinal barriers need to be challenged in a systematic way. Disabled

people are fully entitled to free, comprehensive support to enable full

social inclusion. This should be affirmed in a new social care contract

between the state and disabled people, in defined care need.

Method: Welsh Government Minister for Health and County Council

leaders to agree a social care contract protocol.

Timescale: Discussions to commence ASAP – to be concluded by end

of February.

40

2. Education

Statutory sector:

2.1 Negative attitudinal barriers result in the perpetuation of much

bullying of disabled pupils in mainstream settings; while the subjectivity

of “reasonableness”, leads to the continuation of some physical barriers.

Some disabled pupils are also left unsupported or excluded.

Recommendation 5: All parties must work together to ensure that all

pupils, and society as a whole, understand the value to the whole

community of having disabled people in their midst. Until this is

achieved, we can neither consider ourselves truly inclusive nor truly

civilised as a society. Persistent physical barriers need also to be

effectively addressed.

Method: The Welsh education minister must work with all Council

Cabinet education portfolio-holders to identify and eradicate physical

barriers; and to establish effective, sustained, empathetic, examined

disability equality training for pupils, teachers and the community as a

whole, to bring an end to bullying and negative attitudes towards

disabled people

Timescale: This is a matter of the utmost urgency. The meeting should

be convened by the middle of September, with protocols on disability

equality training and the elimination of physical barriers drawn up and

agreed by the end of February 2016.

2.2 Some disabled pupils find that their support workers are barriers

to their integration with their peer groups.

Recommendation 6: Thought must be given to sensitive, barrier-free

support which enables friendships to develop and flourish.

Method: Welsh Ministers and County Council portfolio-holders to

consider the policy approach and review, where necessary.

41

Timescale: A qualitative study should be undertaken, with

recommendations published by middle of January 2016. Report

recommendations should be considered and adopted, as appropriate, by

April 2016.

2.3. Some teachers lack the appropriate training to effectively support

disabled pupils. This sometimes only becomes apparent once the

disabled pupil is in the class-room.

Recommendation 7: Qualitative experiences should be collected,

collated and analysed and, where necessary, Teacher CPD should be

provided.

Method: Welsh Education Minister should co-ordinate this work and

implement recommendations.

Timescale: The research should commence in December 2015, and

report in February 2016. Any practice changes should be implemented

by the end of May 2016.

Some teachers lack the appropriate training to effectively support

disabled pupils. This sometimes only becomes apparent once the

disabled pupil is in the class-room.

Recommendation 7: Qualitative experiences should be collected,

collated and analysed and, where necessary, Teacher CPD should be

provided.

Method: Welsh Education Minister should co-ordinate this work and

implement recommendations.

Timescale: The research should commence in December 2015, and

report in February 2016. Any practice changes should be implemented

by the end of May 2016.

42

Transitions

2.4. Transitioning.

There are issues here, relating to transition to further and higher

education and from statutory education to employment.

Recommendation 8: Much better planning and support is needed,

embracing college and university admission and Job Centre Plus /

employer engagement.

Method: Appropriate staff must collaborate to ensure that updated,

reliable information is provided, especially with reference to transition to

employment.

Regarding educational transition, continuity of key workers and

mentoring support are helpful in creating positive environments for

disabled students to study and attain.

Timescale: Welsh Minister to issue new guidance, Re these issues, by

end of November 2015.

2.5. Adult Education. Personal finance and physical access can be

barriers to education of all types and for people of all ages.

Recommendation 9: Barrier-free education should be achieved by

introducing free-at-the-point of use educational arrangements for people

in all types and all settings.

Method: Welsh Government Minister and County Council Cabinet

members, to meet, on an all-Wales basis, to construct a barriers audit,

and to construct a timescale for the abolition of all tuition fees in Wales.

Timescale: Discussions to commence, ASAP – and to conclude by end

of February.

43

2.6. Specific inclusion funding is needed for translation in to BSL and in

to other community languages. All course materials need to be

simultaneously accessibly available to all pupils.

Recommendation 10: Accessible information should already be

universally available, so immediate remedial action is needed to address

any short-fall.

Method: Welsh Minister and County Council Cabinet member to meet

with all relevant college reps to ensure that accessible materials are

provided.

Timescale: ASAP – but to conclude by end of October 2015.

2.7. Some further educational facilities in Cardiff, (E.G. those based in

Llanover Hall and Howardian,) are seemingly threatened with County

Council funding cuts, which would undermine educational opportunities

for these disabled people.

Recommendation 11: These educational cuts need to be reversed, and

the facilities which they support need to be maintained / supported, in

like form.

Method: Welsh Government Minister and relevant Cabinet Member to

work with disabled people, and draw upon their knowledge and

expertise, to ensure that all provision is fully accessible and

comprehensively meets study needs.

Timescale: ASAP – but to conclude by end of October 2015.

44

Further and Higher Education

2.8. Physical accessibility remains an issue in further and community

education. All premises need to be accessible.

Recommendation 12: An audit needs to be undertaken of all

community educational establishments. Inaccessible locations need to

be rectified via swift remedial action.

Method: Council Leader and relevant County Council Cabinet member

to arrange for the audit, (which must actively draw upon and involve the

specialist knowledge and expertise of disabled people themselves,) and,

in tandem with the college reps and Welsh Minister for Education, to

ensure that any improvements are swiftly achieved.

Timescale: Framework discussions to have been concluded by end of

November 2015. Any remedial work to be undertaken ASAP, thereafter.

2.9. Community educational opportunities for people with a learning

disability should be distributed evenly throughout the city, not just

funnelled in to one location, which requires much travelling and creates

additional barriers.

Recommendation 13: An audit of course location and provision,

orientated towards people with a learning disability, should be

undertaken, and results shared with the relevant cabinet member and

County Council leader, for action.

Method: Cabinet member to liaise with appropriate College

representatives to conduct the audit, and to receive and act upon the

findings.

Timescale: Audit to be considered by the end middle of December

2015. Audit analysis to be concluded by end of February 2015, and

appropriate action to be agreed by end of April 2016.

45

2.10. There is an issue around the availability of course advertisement

information for disabled people.

Recommendation 14: College prospectus and course information

should be available in accessible formats in a wide range of community

outlets, including Job Centre Plus. Job Centre Plus should also provide

financial assistance to enable disabled people to attend college courses.

This help should include bursaries.

Method: Disabled people should be encouraged / supported to

complete access audits to capture experiences and drive policy

change. Welsh Minister, DWP reps and college reps should meet with

disabled people, ASAP, to discuss these issues, and work to eliminate

these barriers.

Timescale: Discussions to commence by middle of November 2015,

with any policy development to be implemented ASAP, but not later than

the end of December 2015.

Community Inclusion

2.11. Post school-day community support.

Recommendation 15: High-quality post school-day community support

should be provided to young disabled pupils, to facilitate genuine

inclusion and to help break down wider community barriers of isolation

and stigma.

Method: Welsh Minister and County Council Cabinet holders to jointly

explore this issue to see what can be done.

Timescale: Research and evaluation of the issue to be completed by

end of December 2015; and recommendations to be implemented by the

end of April 2016.

46

3. Access

3.1. Public transport

3.1.1. Buses

3.1.1.1. Attitudinal barriers exist regarding some bus staff, which can

inhibit use and cause social isolation.

Recommendation 16: Cabinet Member and relevant office holders to

ensure that effective Disability Equality training is provided (which goes

beyond legal compliance and is routed in practical support,) should be

provided to all staff on both a first-instance and a CPD basis.

Method: Disabled people need to have a pivotal role in both the design

and the delivery of any such training for it to have maximum authenticity

and impact.

Timescale: This is a major undertaking, but a training programme

should be developed, and be in place, by end of March 2016, for roll-out,

thereafter.

3.1.2. Accessible ramps are insufficiently utilised in part by some

inconsiderate staff and in part as a consequence of inconsiderate car

parking; and sometimes the lack of appropriately raised kerbs.

Recommendation 17: An audit of raised kerbs should be conducted;

and access-related qualitative and quantitative experiences should be

researched with results fed back to relevant cabinet member and Welsh

minister. Attitudinal training and greater enforcement of prevention of

obstructive parking should be undertaken.

Timescale: The Audit should be concluded by the end of January 2016.

A specific training programme should be devised to be ready for roll-out

by the end of March 2016.

47

3.1.3. Lack of proper recording of accidents and incidents seems to be a

profound issue.

Recommendation 18: Examination of reporting procedures should be

undertaken by suitable parties, and disabled people should be engaged

in this process to assist in any re-design.

Method: Cardiff County Council Cabinet Member and all key players to

meet to examine procedures and develop any appropriate change.

Timescale: The review to be concluded by the end of February 2016,

with any changes implemented by April 2016.

3.1.4. Easy read bus timetables should be provided to ensure

information provision reaches the widest range of people.

Recommendation 19: This issue should be investigated and addressed

as swiftly as possible.

Method: Bus companies to assess and review the approach.

Timescale: A report on the issue to be provided to the Cabinet member

by middle of December 2015, and follow up action completed by end of

March 2016.

3.1.5. Constant uncertainty around Cardiff Central Square / bus station

makes this area difficult / dangerous for some disabled people.

Recommendation 20: Relevant cabinet member to provide timescale

certainty for this work; and to ensure that disabled people are fully

involved in the planning of the re-design.

Method: Disabled people to meet with those charged with

implementation, to enable dialogue and input.

Timescale: Meeting to be set up by middle of November 2015.

48

3.1.6. Some bus stops are poorly lit, creating additional barriers and

hazards for visual impaired and other people.

Recommendation 21: An audit and analysis of this issue to be

undertaken with remedial action, where necessary.

Method: County Council Cabinet Member to meet disabled people and

highways officers Etc, to progress this issue.

Timescale: The first meeting to be arranged by mid-November.

Subsequent report recommendations to be implemented by May 2016.

3.1.7. Brighton has an accessible bus scheme.

Recommendation 22: Explore what can be learned, adapted / adopted

from Brighton’s approach.

Method: Cardiff County Council Cabinet Member and Welsh minister to

arrange research and implement, as appropriate.

Timescale: Initial analysis to be completed by end of December. Any

recommendations to be progressed by May 2016.

3.1.8 Personal Assistant / carer concessions only cover one person,

which is sometimes insufficient.

Recommendation 23: County Council Cabinet Member to explore how

our approach can be more flexible / generous than the current

arrangement.

Method: As above.

Timescale: Consideration to be concluded by end of December 2015.

3.1.9. Some bus-stops are too small to keep would-be users dry.

49

Recommendation 24: Larger bus waiting areas to be considered to limit

unpleasant experiences when waiting for busses.

Method: County Council Cabinet Member to undertake investigation to

see if / how better facilities can be provided – possibly via commercial

advertising / sponsorship of bus shelters. Relevant Cabinet member to

lead discussions with all relevant parties.

Timescale: Analysis to be concluded by end of December 2015, with

any recommendations implemented by May 2016.

3.1.10. The next generation bus fleet should have larger rear axles to

avoid passenger pain caused by speed-bump jarring.

Recommendation 25: Disabled people should be more deeply involved

in future bus design discussions.

Method: Cabinet Member / Chair of Cardiff Bus to co-ordinate and

facilitate deeper design planning involvement of disabled people, and to

consider and explore future design possibilities.

Timescale: A framework for the greater involvement of disabled people

should be drawn up and implemented by March 2016.

3.1.11. Thinner bus-seating on new busses is uncomfortable.

Recommendation 26: Cabinet Member / Chair of Cardiff Bus to invite

and collate feedback, and to consider and explore what can be done.

Method: A qualitative analysis to be undertaken via bus user survey etc,

to identify the extent of the issue/s and to feed in to future fleet

consideration.

Timescale: Qualitative research to be undertaken by end of February

2016, with any recommendations implemented by the end of May 2016.

50

3.2. Trains

3.2.1. Some staff refuse to deploy ramps from train station platform to

train carriage.

Recommendation 27: Welsh minister to work with train companies

through ATOC to ensure compliance failure is recorded and built in to

contract performance; and that this issue is appropriately weighted

within any up-coming tender negotiation / re-negotiation consideration.

Method: Welsh Transport Minister to co-ordinate research and lead re-

tender contract negotiations.

Timescale: Research of non-compliance to be concluded by end of

December 2015. Future tender criteria to be developed, in the light of

any recommendations, in timely consideration for practical use.

3.2.2. Not all train stations have wheelchair availability on every

platform.

Recommendation 28: Welsh Minister / train provider companies should

audit this issue, and ensure universal availability.

Method: As per recommendation 27.

Timescale: As per recommendation 27.

3.2.3. The requirement of having to book assistance in advance for

disabled people is unhelpful / discriminatory.

Recommendation 29: Welsh Transport Minister should direct that the

pre-book advance travel requirement should either be abolished or

applied flexibly, in appreciation of the fact that disabled people

sometimes need to travel spontaneously.

Method: Welsh Minister to co-ordinate, as above.

51

Timescale: Profound consideration of implementation of the above-

proposed change to be completed by the end of December 2015.

3.3. Taxis

3.3.1. Inaccessible taxis sometimes turn up even when accessible taxis

have been booked. Some taxis refuse to take assistance dogs; some

refuse to use taxi access-assistance ramps.

Recommendation 30: Cabinet member and Licensing Committee Chair

to investigate these discriminatory practices and, if necessary, explore

council legislative capacity / procedures to achieve full compliance.

Additionally, Disability Equality Training (DET) should be provided, (both

at first-instance and refresher,) which must go beyond legal compliance

and focus on detailed practical assistance.

Method: Cabinet member and Licensing Chair to co-ordinate

assessment, analysis and recommendations, and to lead on any

consequential change.

Timescale: Research to be completed by end of November 2015, with

any consequential change concluded by May 2016.

3. 4. Parking

3.4.1. Where on-street disabled parking is available, the parking bays

are often too small to be useful. Some disabled parking bays are made

generically available after 6.30 PM. (Do we conclude that disabled

people are not permitted to be out after this hour?)

Recommendation 31: Longer disabled bay parking times for disabled

employees should be considered; as should the more rigorous

enforcement of compliant use of disabled bay parking.

52

Method: Cabinet member and Licensing Chair to examine all of these

issues, and construct means to achieve effective change and

improvement.

Timescale: Improvement plan to be developed by end of December

2015, with positive implementation by end of April 2016.

3.4.2. On-pavement parking is dangerous. Can this be policed via

mobile phone material sent through to local police officers?

Recommendation 32: Cabinet member and Police Commissioner to

examine this issue, to see what can be done.

Method: As above.

Timescale: Report to be completed by end of February 2016, with any

consequent change to be implemented by the end of May 2016.

53

4. Way Finding and Accessibility of Built Environment.

4.1 Signage needs to be made more routinely accessible across

a range of formats; to assist a range of impairment groups.

Recommendation 33: Relevant cabinet member to explore ways of

achieving effective improvement.

Method: As above.

Timescale: Research and analysis to be concluded by end of February

2016, with development action / implementation plan to be in place by

May 2016.

4.2. Locating an accessible toilet within a gender-specific toilet in City

Hall is obviously inappropriate.

Recommendation 34: Cabinet member to examine the extent of the

issue, and to ensure that this practice is ended.

Method: Research to be undertaken, as above.

Timescale: This matter should be addressed urgently with report

completed by end of October 2015, and recommendations implemented

by the end of January 2016.

4.3. Pot-holes and un-even pavements are dangerous for everyone –

disabled and non-disabled people, alike.

Recommendation 35: The cabinet member to examine the general

state of the pavements and road surfaces, and to work with Welsh

Government to achieve greater financial capacity, to address this

important issue.

Method: report to be undertaken, as above.

Timescale: Report to be concluded by March 2016, with

recommendations to be implemented by May 2016.

54

4.4. Shared surfaces are dangerous for visually-impaired people.

Recommendation 36: Cabinet member and Welsh Government

Minister should seriously consider the eradication of shared surfaces on

safety grounds.

Method: Leadership to be provided, as above.

Timescale: This is a profound issue, which will need detailed

consideration. Research and report to be concluded by end March 2016,

with recommendations for implementation for Autumn 2016.

5. Way finding – Technology.

5.1. Assistive technology could be fully utilised to provide much greater

support.

Recommendation 37: Cabinet member and Welsh Government

Minister should explore the piloting of hand-held personal way-finding

technology, to assist safe ambulation of visually impaired people.

Method: As above.

Timescale: A report to be concluded by February 2016, with

developmental implementation for August 2016.

5.2. Shop-provided mobility scooters are not permitted to be used

outside of the store, creating difficulties for disabled people in getting

their shopping to cars and taxis etc.

Recommendation 38: Welsh Government Minister and Cabinet

member to work to achieve a protocol for flexible use of in-store scooters

to achieve safe transition to vehicles etc.

Method: As above.

Timescale: Policy change to be negotiated and agreed by end

December 2015.

55

6. Employment

6.1. There are a wide range of societal, systemic and attitudinal

barriers which are captured in the report, and which often significantly

impede the employment of disabled people. (The outrageous

demonstration of disabled people as “work shy” etc in recent years has

played its part in reinforcing these negative attitudinal barriers and in

making it even harder for disabled people to secure employment).

Disabled people have an indisputable right to have their job-seeking and

employment needs comprehensively met; and not to experience

discrimination in these regards.

Recommendation 39: The Welsh Government Minister should work

with Institute for Personnel and Development to systematically introduce

high-quality disability equality training for all human resource

departments in Wales to challenge and remove negative attitudinal

barriers. Amongst other things, this should include: making the entire

advertising and recruitment process barrier-free; and facilitating effective

career progression of disabled people, once employed.

Method: As above.

Timescale: This is long-term work, but a swift start must be made. The

relevant Welsh Minister and Institute of Personnel and Development and

Breaking the Barriers (BTB) steering group representatives should meet

by the middle of December 2015 to outline a programme of action.

6.2. The concept of “reasonable adjustment” causes unhelpful

ambiguity, in the context of employment, as elsewhere. Additionally,

Access to Work entitlement is facing various challenges and financial

pressures.

Recommendation 40: These existing concepts and mechanisms should

be replaced by “assured entitlement”, i.e. that disabled people have a

defined right to receive whatever help and support they require to be

able to undertake appropriate work, in an appropriate environment for a

socially just remuneration.

56

Method: Welsh Employment Minister and Equality and Human Rights

Commission to engage with UK relevant departments: e.g. Department

of Employment, and Minister for Disabled People to work to bring this

about.

Timescale: This is a challenging recommendation, and preparatory

work would be needed. High-level discussions to have commenced by

end of December 2015.

6.2. There is probably a third sector and informal (peer support)

informal structure which might be further developed around employment

and disabled people. There are undoubtedly many organisations of / for

disabled people who work to assist in the employment field and, much

that might be learned from disabled people in various roles and

professions.

Recommendation 41: The BTB steering group to consider organising a

specific half-day employment conference for disabled people in the late

autumn of 2015, to try and bring together third sector and informal peer

support / best practice, for dissemination and sharing.

Method: As above.

Timescale: Consideration of half-day conference for second half of

January 2016.

6.4. Disabled people of working age are in a most invidious situation in

which many people are being dragooned in to work-related activity only

to bump up against profound employment barriers. This is profoundly

unacceptable. In some ways, notwithstanding legislative protection,

disabled people’s challenge to obtain and retain meaningful, rewarding

employment seems greater now than a generation ago. The old 3%

employment quota system was widely abused and disregarded, and

tended to trammel disabled people in to particular employment roles.

However, this doesn’t mean that we can’t construct a modern quota

system that would be more ethical and effective.

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Recommendation 42: If the percentage of employed disabled people is

not materially better by February 2016, the Welsh Minister should

explore (with all relevant Welsh and UK representatives,) both the

capacity for tax breaks for the employment of disabled people and the

introduction of a modern re-registration and “quota” system, in which all

employers would be required to employ up to 15% of disabled people

within their workforce, or face sanctions. A second phase would be tax

breaks for employers who employ disabled people, distributed in a

balanced way, through their organisations.

Method: All relevant parties to engage, if employment rates of disabled

people remain materially unaltered by the end of 2015.

Timescale: As above.

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7. Over-Arching.

7.1. Finally, it is undoubtedly the case that all of the other pieces in the

“daily lived experience” jigsaw for disabled people of health and social

care support; educational opportunity; accessible transport and

accessible environment must all be in place to facilitate employment for

disabled people.

Recommendation 43: We would call for a specific Welsh Commissioner

for Disabled People to help to co-ordinate, drive and oversee the

implementation of all of the recommendations in this report.

Method: To be determined by Welsh Government.

Timescale: Serious consideration to be given by the end of January

2016, for implementation in 2017.

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Mental Health Issues

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Introduction

We know that many disabled people face barriers in their everyday lives

that prevent them from accessing services and being full and active

members of their community. We also know that some progress has

been made to make services more inclusive and accessible. However,

there is evidence to show that progress is patchy and more needs to be

done.

What do we mean by inclusive and accessible?

We consider inclusive and accessible to be an environment which:

Engages with disabled people and includes them equally

Recognises the positive contribution that disabled people can make

Recognises physical, hidden and mental health conditions and has

the means in place to be fully accessible to all conditions

The vision of the Breaking the Barriers initiative as part of the Cardiff

Debate, is to assist Cardiff in becoming a more inclusive and accessible

place to live and visit, through engaging and working with disabled

people to remove barriers that get in the way of them being full and

active contributors in Cardiff, in the specific areas of Health/Social Care,

Employment, Education and Access.

This booklet was produced not only for the Breaking the Barriers

Conference, which is part of the Cardiff Debate 2015, but also for

services, practitioners, front-line staff who come into contact with people

who experience(d) Alzheimer’s, dementia and other mental ill health

conditions.

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We have highlighted issues faced in 4 areas of people lives around

Health & Social Care, Employment, Education and Access.

We would like to thank the organisations that contributed to this booklet:

Diverse Cymru’s BME Mental Health Project

Hafal

Bipolar UK

The Mental Health Foundation

Alzheimer's Society

Gofal

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Health/Social Care:

People with a serious mental illness - have found that there are

significant barriers to accessing psychological therapies. We are

concerned that there remains an imbalance in mental health services

which do not give sufficient weight to psychological therapies; the

emphasis is on medication. Because psychological therapies are not as

readily available to people with serious mental illness as medication,

they must often be paid for privately. Often the opinion is that

psychological therapies won't be effective for people with mental

illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; however, we have

found that a combination of medication and psychological therapies is

the most effective package of treatment.

There are also barriers to physical healthcare for people with a serious

mental illness. People with a serious mental illness such as

schizophrenia or bipolar disorder have a life expectancy between 15 to

20 years lower than the general population (Wahlbeck et al; 2011).

Cardiovascular disease is the single biggest and potentially preventable

cause of premature mortality among people with a serious mental illness

(Brown et al; 2010), with other major causes due to a higher burden of

cancer and liver disease. The risk factors for these conditions are not

being managed as well as they are in the general population. People

with a serious mental illness are dying earlier not so much because of

suicide or violence but from heart attacks, stroke and cancer. We believe

inequalities in health and social care outcomes experienced by people

with a mental illness must be addressed. As well as addressing the

many well known risk factors such as smoking, obesity and diabetes, the

general health and well-being of people with a serious mental illness -

and their carers - needs to be drastically improved by making sure there

is equal access to healthcare of the same standard, quality and range as

everyone else, and by ensuring there are effective and appropriate

screening programmes and checks in place.

Mental health carers: so many issues. For example may carers feel their

expertise is often unheeded by mental health professionals; they also

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say there is a lack of information out there for them on issues like direct

payments.

Suitable, affordable housing, being settled and having somewhere to call

home, access to social housing, increased support with housing.

Consistency of healthcare and continuity if they move.

One of the first, is stigma – which affects (amongst other things)

people’s ability to seek help, and the attitudes of health and social care

professionals. It’s so difficult to admit you are struggling in the first place

but then to have to wait 2 weeks for a GP consultation, and then to be

presented with a choice between medication or cognitive behavioural

therapy (if you’re lucky), and a long waiting list if you can access

therapy, it’s not good enough. True ‘parity of esteem’ between mental

health and physical health means parity of access to treatment and

support.

Service staff ignorance of BME community, lack of knowledge about

minority cultures and insensitive treatment of ethnic specific issues

relating to their mental health and social care needs

A knowledge base – service providers may not have adequate and

appropriate information about ethnic minority service users. High quality

information about a community is vital to asses need accurately and to

shape services appropriately to their mental health and social care

needs

For people with Alzheimer’s/dementia, isolation is a huge problem

especially due to Council’s cutbacks in Day Centre/Day Support

Waiting lists on Support Services but not enough funding for recruitment

of staff.

Education

Young people with a mental illness (and young men in particular) are at

high risk of dropping out of education (Mental Health and Social

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Exclusion Report, Social Exclusion Unit, Office of the Deputy Prime

Minister, 2003). A recent Time to Change survey (2013) found that more

than three quarters of young people with mental health problems have

missed out on their education, and more than one in 10 young people

with mental health problems drop out of education full stop. Again,

stigma seems to be a barrier - many of the young people reported

bullying and discrimination as the reason for missing out on their

education.

Sustainability due to periods of depression and mania – cost if on

benefits

Support with education whilst unwell (university and stress at college is a

major trigger for bipolar)

For many of our service users, English is not their first language;

therefore it is difficult for them to seek employment. We are seeing more

and more people with mental ill health/physical being taken off benefits

and be told to seek work or voluntary work. Language is a barrier, how

are they supposed to communicate effectively to find work in the first

place? When courses are offered they don’t take into account the

cultural barriers.

Educate employers in understanding the issues around Alzheimer’s and

dementia and to think of other ways of keeping that person in

employment

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Employment

Stigma and discrimination in the workplace is a significant barrier for

people with a mental illness - either when applying for jobs or if they are

already employed. Danson & Gilmore (2009) found that employers are

wary of employing people with a health condition and that while

employers had sympathy towards people with disabilities, mental health

problems, or those who had recovered from serious illness, they were

also concerned that, as employees, their disability or illness might lead

to future difficulties and financial pressures for the business (see

Barriers to Employment, Centre for Mental Health, 2013)

People with a mental illness may also have low expectations about

their employment and career - and this is a significant barrier to work

opportunities and progression. Due to negative experiences of

discrimination, people with a mental illness can feel pessimistic about

future employment - and research by the Centre for Mental Health has

found that these low expectations can be reinforced by health

professionals who view their illness as a genuine barrier to employment.

Stigma and discrimination in terms of employment remains an issue –

especially for clients with schizophrenia - although the situation is

improving through the work of organisations like Hafal and Time to

Change Wales.

More support to access work or volunteering opportunities, better

education opportunities, to return to college and work.

A question of whether to disclose diagnosis and the consequences that

could follow.

According to the Time to Change campaign, people with mental health

problems have the highest ‘want to work’ rate of any disability group –

but have the lowest in-work rate. A recent survey published by the

Depression Alliance showed that one in three people in the UK found it

hard to cope at work because of depression, stress and burn out. For

employers, a compelling case for supporting mental health and well-

being has been made – with the estimated cost to employers of mental

health problems among their staff being £26 billion each year.

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There are a number of steps employers can take to create an

environment that supports good mental well-being - for example having

enough light, pictures and plants. Employers can support employees in a

healthy work-life balance too- for example the use of flexible working

hours or avoiding peak travel times but also through encouraging a

culture of openness around workload, and indeed about mental health

and mental health problems themselves. Simple changes (at an

individual and organisational level) can often make a huge difference –

at the individual level, supporting people if they are struggling with their

workload and identifying when someone may be becoming unwell), at an

organisational level, having good policies in place, the availability of

mental health action plans and an employee assistance programme to

support staff.

Access to health professionals and services

Access to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, particularly

the transition between children’s to adult services, is a big issue for our

young clients.

Waiting times, alternatives to medication, consistency, out-of-hours

services, communication

Counselling: the waiting list faced by people with serious mental illness

is often long.

Social, recreational and community interaction, access to gym and

recreational activities, more social opportunities, reducing isolation

Service provision which is inaccessible – many ethnic minorities may

see some agencies/organisations/services as only for White people and

have no concern for the interests of visible minorities therefore they don’t

seek the support they need for their mental health this is why we see

people in crisis

We have service users who have a mental illness and are wheelchair

users and put into unsuitable accommodation with no disability access.

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The Cardiff Debate will take place over the next 3 years and involve

you in conversations that will shape the future of public services in

Cardiff.

The public and third sector face significant financial pressures that

mean we need to change the way we do things to ensure our services

are based on the needs of local communities and which

are sustainable in the long term. In order to do this we will all need to

work together and find ways of doing things differently.

Be part of the Cardiff Debate and help make a difference.

Diverse Cymru is an innovative new organisation in the Welsh Third Sector,

created in recognition of the realities faced by people experiencing

inequality in Wales.

Diverse Cymru promotes equality for all. We believe that the people of

Wales can work together to challenge discrimination in all its forms and

create an equitable future.

Diverse Cymru aims to make a real difference to people’s lives through

delivering services that reduce inequality and increase independence;

supporting people to speak for themselves and to connect with decision

makers; creating opportunities for participation and development; raising

awareness of equality issues; and inspiring people to take action against

inequality.

www.diversecymru.org.uk

www.cardiffdebate.co.uk