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, some of which is available to download here. 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
For introductory information, including the Code of Practice, and guidance on key elements of the duty, such as involving disabled people and impact assessments, see below. The sectoral guidance page contains information written for public bodies across the different sectors. The putting the duty into practice page contains reports and assessments by the DRC on how the public sector had responded to the duty before the end of September 2007.
PDF version Secretary of State Reports
Key Secretaries of State reported on progress towards disability equality across their policy sector on 1 December 2008.
The reports by the 11 Secretaries of State are the first of their kind. They identify progress towards disability equality made by each department and where there are still issues to address. They also show how departments and public bodies will work strategically to introduce mechanisms for change. The ODI has produced an overview of the Secretary of State reports, highlighting key findings from each.
- Secretary of States Reports on Disability Equality - Overview
(PDF, 17 pages, 2.79 MB) - Secretary of States Reports on Disability Equality - Overview - Easy Read (Easy Read PDF, 76 pages, 2.91 MB)
- Secretary of States Reports on Disability Equality - Overview -RTF
(RTF, 17 pages, 2.79 MB)
The full reports for individual departments can be found on their own websites.
- The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
- The Department for Children, Schools and Families
- The Department of Communities and Local Government
- The Department of Culture, Media and Sport
- The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- The Department of Health
- The Home Office
- The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
- The Ministry of Justice
- The Department for Transport
- The Department for Work and Pensions
The duty on Secretaries of State requires them to report on
- progress towards disability equality in their policy sector
- proposals for coordination of future work by relevant public authorities within their policy sector.
These reports need to be produced every three years and are unique to the Disability Equality Duty.
The focus on the policy sector ensures that Secretaries of State look beyond departmental boundaries at how their public bodies are performing to ensure they work together effectively. This is in recognition of the need to encourage strategic leadership by Secretaries of State in order to further disability equality.
To support the production of the reports the ODI produced guidance and worked closely with the departments involved.
Research
The ODI commissioned researchers to examine the implementation of the Disability Equality Duty in England, looking at a small sample of public authorities to provide examples of how schemes were developed and what impact they have had for disabled people.
The research was commissioned to help support government departments to carry out the Secretary of State reporting requirement. The research and the Secretary of State reports should be seen together as providing a snapshot of what government and the wider public sector is doing to further disability equality.
Read the research report on our publications page.
Supporting Government Departments
The ODI hosts a working group which brings together professionals from across central government who are responsible for their department's Disability Equality Schemes.
This groups provides a forum for sharing ideas, questions and good practice as well as identifying opportunities for joined up working.
Sharing Good Practice
The Department for Children, Schools and Families recently published an on-line Equality Impact Assessment Workbook (links to DCSF website) that was produced to assist colleagues in carrying out equality impact assessments.
Others within the education sector may find this a useful tool as it has links to research and evidence to inform assessments.
Promoting the DED
A number of organisations have already told us how the DED has improved their services. For examples of the practical differences it has made see our case studies page.
To help raise awareness of the DED, the ODI are committed to promoting the DED and what it hopes to achieve across a range of sectors. So if you have any good news stories on how the DED has brought about change where you are please contact us.
Disability Conference
The ODI jointly hosted a conference with National School of Government Conference (links to NSG website) for disabled staff and disability champions in December 2007.
The conference was chaired by Simon Minty and delegates were involved in interactive sessions on a range of topics, including a discussion session with Anne McGuire MP, Minister for Disabled People.
Events for the Public Sector
In March and April 2007, the ODI organised a series of dissemination events to share the findings of our compliance audit and share lesson learned and look at new ways forward to implement the DED.
Read Disability Equality Duty: Moving Forward report.
Guidance for Government
Before the duty came into force the ODI produced guidance on the duties imposed by the Disability Discrimination Act, to help civil servants understand the obligations of the Duty.
- Disability equality: a priority for all - PDF (377KB, 28 pages)
- Disability equality: a priority for all - RTF (205KB, 20 pages)
Download Documents
You can download documents marked with a using Adobe Reader - available free of charge.
You can download documents marked with a using Microsoft Word viewer – available free of charge.
A handful of film-goers objected to her use of an expletive in 12A-rated Bond movie Quantum of Solace, but the complaints were "expected", it said.
The body, which certifies films, DVDs and games, has updated its guidelines.
Releases will be vetted for issues of prejudice for the first time alongside violence, swearing and sexual content.
More rigorous
Issues of race, gender, sexuality and disability will be taken into account when the BBFC issues certificates.
Under the new guidelines, a DVD box set of US comedy series Friends has been given a 12 rating instead of a PG because of the single use of the word spastic.
The organisation, which has reviewed its guidelines for the first time in four years, has said that the tone and meaning will come under scrutiny as well as what appears on screen.
It says that some releases which fall between two certificates could now be pushed into a more rigorous classification.
Rules about horror films have been tightened in the 12 and 12A category, meaning that 2001 release The Others, starring Nicole Kidman, would now be given a higher certificate.
The BBFC came to their conclusions after consulting 8,700 people.
It said that in the last year it received 853 e-mails and letters about its classifications.
The decision to give hard-hitting film The Dark Knight a 12A certificate generated the most public concern, with 364 complaints being received by the BBFC.
It put the complaints about one minor swear word in Quantum Of Solace down to the "Judi Dench factor".
"This beloved actress plays M, Bond's tough-talking boss. However, it was her tough talking which upset the viewers," it said.
"Almost every time Dame Judi swears in a film, regardless of its category, we can expect a number of complaints."
BBFC president Sir Quentin Thomas also expressed concerns that children are able to access explicit material on the web too easily.
He added that efforts to regulate content were difficult because many sites are operated from outside the UK.
http://news.bbc
.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8116208.stm
This section provides a wide range of information about the race equality duty, the disability equality duty and the gender equality duty. It sets out what the duties are, the responsibilities of public authorities in Britain and how the duties should be implemented.
Further information about the forthcoming seven-strand equality duty will be added to the site as it is developed by the Commission.
In this section, you can find general information about:
- Background to the duties
- What are the duties?
- Who is covered by the duties?
- Codes of practice on the duties (what do public bodies have to do)
- Guidance on the duties (putting the duties into practice)
- Taking action on the duties(for individuals and organisations)
- How the duty is enforced
This section also contains specific information on the following areas:
- Case studies of how organisations are using the duties
- Frequently asked questions on the duties
- Research on the duties
- Updates on the duties
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/advice-and-guidance/public-sector-dut...
As a public authority, the Department for Work and Pensions is required to produce and publish race, disability and gender equality schemes to meet legislative requirements. These schemes set out how we take forward our legal duties.
Equality schemes are written documents describing a complete picture of what an organisation is doing to promote equality for both customers and staff. They include an action plan, which must have been developed taking into account customers’ views for where we most need to act.
The Department for Work and Pensions embraces the need for race, disability and gender equality schemes as a way of identifying how we deliver the policies and services our customers need. We have integrated reviews of our equality schemes and the annual progress reports into our mainstream business planning, so that equality is considered as part of the Department’s day-to-day business.
Equality schemes are reviewed every three years and progress reports are published annually.
- Progress reports 2009 (published 30 June 2009)
- Equality schemes 2008-2011 (published 29 May 2008)
- Progress reports 2007 (published 30 November 2007)
- Equality schemes 2006-2008 (published 1 December 2006)
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/about-dwp/diversity-and-equality/dwp-equality-sche...
The Code of practice is the statutory guidance on the legal requirements of each duty. It must be used by public authorities to make sure they are complying with the law.
Hard copies of these documents are available from The Stationery Office (TSO)
Gender equality duty
Gender equality duty Code of Practice (England and Wales) (Word)
Gender equality duty Code of Practice (Scotland) (Word)
Race equality duty
Race equality duty Code of Practice (England and Wales) (Word)
Race equality duty Code of Practice (Scotland) (PDF)
Disability equality duty
Disability equality duty Code of Practice (England and Wales) (Word)
Disability equality duty Code of Practice (Scotland) (Word)
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/Disabili...
Secretary of State Reports
Key Secretaries of State reported on progress towards disability equality across their policy sector on 1 December 2008.
The reports by the 11 Secretaries of State are the first of their kind. They identify progress towards disability equality made by each department and where there are still issues to address. They also show how departments and public bodies will work strategically to introduce mechanisms for change. The ODI has produced an overview of the Secretary of State reports, highlighting key findings from each.
-
Secretary of States Reports on Disability Equality - Overview
(PDF, 17 pages, 2.79 MB) -
Secretary of States Reports on Disability Equality - Overview - Easy Read (Easy Read PDF, 76 pages, 2.91 MB)
-
Secretary of States Reports on Disability Equality - Overview -RTF
(RTF, 17 pages, 2.79 MB)
The full reports for individual departments can be found on their own websites.
- The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
- The Department for Children, Schools and Families
- The Department of Communities and Local Government
- The Department of Culture, Media and Sport
- The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- The Department of Health
- The Home Office
- The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills
- The Ministry of Justice
- The Department for Transport
- The Department for Work and Pensions
The duty on Secretaries of State requires them to report on
- progress towards disability equality in their policy sector
- proposals for coordination of future work by relevant public authorities within their policy sector.
These reports need to be produced every three years and are unique to the Disability Equality Duty.
The focus on the policy sector ensures that Secretaries of State look beyond departmental boundaries at how their public bodies are performing to ensure they work together effectively. This is in recognition of the need to encourage strategic leadership by Secretaries of State in order to further disability equality.
To support the production of the reports the ODI produced guidance and worked closely with the departments involved.
Please forward this email to friends and colleagues who may find it useful. If you have been sent this from someone else, sign up for regular updates at www.odi.gov.uk/newsletter.
See you next month!
Simon Hogg
Editor, ODInsight
The ODI, working with disabled people, helped shape these new measures. For example, managing a consultation from 26 November 2008 to 6 January 2009 called The Consultation on Improving Protection from Disability Discrimination.
The Government’s response to the Consultation can be found on our Equality Bill page. For more information on the Equality Bill visit the Government Equalities Office website.
The toolkit gives advice and guidance on a range of issues including how to involve disabled people and how to create accessible formats. It has been published by the ODI, with significant input from disabled people and local authority staff.
More than 120 delegates are attending the launch event to hear from the Minister and from some of those who contributed.
Read the toolkit on our Improving information page. If you would like to order a hard copy, email office-for-disability-issues@dwp.gsi.gov.uk.
At these meetings, disabled people have the opportunity to influence government policy. However, if you are unable to attend, you can have your say on the Equality 2025 blog at equality2025.wordpress.com. More public events planned over the spring and summer.
There are now nine broad areas of measurement divided into 41 indicators. These areas have been developed in consultation with disabled people as the best way of measuring progress, and ODI has a commitment to compile and compare these indicators year-on-year until 2025.
Find this up-to-the-minute data on our website throughout the year at www.odi.gov.uk/annualreport.
Email: office-for-disability-issues@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
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