Wednesday 27 November 2019
The 27th November 2019 marks 6 years since the States agreed to the Disability and Inclusion Strategy.
But while Equality legislation has been making headline news recently, the Strategy also contained many other initiatives which would be stepping stones to a more inclusive community, and lead to improvements for disabled islanders and carers. So what work has been undertaken to date on the many work streams that make up the Strategy?
Capacity laws are especially important for people with dementia, learning disabilities and mental disorders. These laws help to protect people's freedom and right to make decisions about their own life. When people aren't able to make decisions for themselves, Capacity law allows them to hand over decision-making responsibility to a trusted person, and provides sensible checks to make sure they aren't being exploited, and their personal preferences and best interests are not forgotten.
Following a targeted consultation this summer, the Capacity law for the Bailiwick is being finalised and will be published shortly by the Committee for Health & Social Care, for consideration at a States meeting in early 2020.
Deputy Emilie McSwiggan, who sits on both Committees, said:
"The progress we have made with Capacity law during this States' term has been one of the unsung successes of the Disability & Inclusion Strategy. Having Capacity law in place will make a big difference to so many lives. People who are worried about losing capacity in older age, or as a result of ill-health, will finally have the opportunity to make Lasting Powers of Attorney that can be used by someone they trust, to look after their finances or make decisions about their care. This will bring peace of mind to so many people who have not had this kind of legal protection before now."
The work stream for supported and mainstream employment led to the creation of the Guernsey Employment Trust (GET) early in the life of the Strategy. GET is a partner with the Committee for Employment and Social Security in helping to deliver that work stream - through providing support to disabled jobseekers and advice to employers who want to be more inclusive. The Employers' Disability Charter, which was created by GET to set out good practice on disability in the workplace, has now been signed by over 35 local employers, the States being one of them. When signing up to the charter, each business confirms their commitment to helping disabled people get employment, and signatories have provided positive feedback about the impact of the Charter on the way they work.
One of this year's signatories to the Employer's Disability Charter is Guernsey Recycling. Frances Browning, Quality and Projects Officer for Guernsey Recycling said:
"We approached the Guernsey Employment Trust (GET) early in 2019 as we were aware that, with a few simple adjustments to our recruitment processes and our working environments, we would be able to recruit from a broader range of candidates whom we might otherwise overlook. GET have provided fantastic guidance regarding what we mean by the term "disability," and answered those difficult questions regarding what constitutes a "reasonable adjustment." We have learnt how we can adapt our roles to support different abilities; and suit the role to the candidate rather than expecting the candidate to fit the role. It's a win-win for all of us."
More information about the Employers' Disability Charter or bespoke training for your organisation is available by contacting Elaine Strappini on 247999 or email elaine.strappini@get.org.gg
The latest service framework to be developed by HSC is the Framework for People with Learning Disabilities. This is being worked up following a service review carried out by Adult Disability Services at the beginning of 2019. Work has also now commenced on the Communication difficulties framework and staff are currently scoping what support is available for children and adults.
This year Jersey and Guernsey worked together to appoint the first pan-island Independent Chair of the Islands Safeguarding Children Partnership. The Adult Safeguarding Board for Guernsey is presently being scoped with a proposed set up date of January 2020.
A conference was held in November by those leading the Children and Young People Plan and The Islands Safeguarding Children Partnership. This was aimed at those working with children and their families, and shared the ongoing development and planning to ensure positive outcomes for all children and young people across the Bailiwick.
A Disability Audit of the States was carried out in 2017, allowing us to identify areas where public services and practices could be more inclusive. Work is now underway across all Committees and departments of the States to meet the needs of both staff and customers with disabilities (more information can be found at States disability review.
The Committee for Employment & Social Security recognises the importance of ongoing awareness-raising around the issues faced by people with disabilities. Earlier this year, a series of initiatives around Equality and Human Rights issues were organised for businesses and individuals. In particular, a series of helpful seminars were run by Walkers, who targeted their presentations at the business community. In the third sector, the Equality Group ran a series of events open to everyone, finishing with a conference attended by over 200 people - for which they were recently awarded the Community Foundation's "Best Organising Committee in 2019".
The Committee is now revising its Equality law proposals in light of the extensive consultation feedback. It has revised the scope of the work and will be revisiting several key issues, including the definition of disability, before finalising proposals to bring back to the States early in 2020. The Committee is also progressing plans for an Equality & Rights Organisation to provide information and advice to those who need it - especially small businesses and employers who may not have access to HR or legal advice - which it aims to bring forward at the same time.
Deputy Michelle Le Clerc, President of Employment & Social Security said:
"The Committee fought hard for the Disability & Inclusion Strategy during the recent Budget debate, and I am pleased that the States agreed to provide £75,000 of funding to allow us to continue this important work in 2020."
The Strategy is complex, with many workstreams, but there is ongoing progress towards its aims of improving the lives of disabled islanders and their carers. Regular updates are available through the highlight reports.
