This blog follows on from the one written on subtle abuse
and difficulties that exist in the environment for all people, but are a
barrier for disabled people. In order to
improve facilities and services, the minimum action is for councils to appoint well-trained
access officers. Access officers have
diminished or become non-existent as councils struggle to balance their books. This
is a false economy as councils now lack professional expertise in this area;
with no-one experienced in giving advice to councillors around the barriers
that cause many disabled people to remain marooned in their home environment.
Barriers in the home greatly affect wellbeing. Access officers understand planning applications
in terms of the law and regulations.
Their advice is critical if errors are to be eradicated at the design
stage. When applications go through that
fail to address access issues, it results in discrimination, violation of
people’s human rights, and involve councils and health authorities in further
financial expenditure. Worst of all is
that some mistakes cannot be rectified and they mean that disabled people may
have no access to facilities and services that they are entitled to - and dependent
upon.
Apart from the appointment of access officers, there is a
need for access groups to be independently managed and controlled by
well-trained disabled people. Access
groups provide advice and expertise to access officers, councillors and senior
health professionals. In this way access
for all people will be free from the barriers that currently exist and that are
deteriorating because of the lack of this input to their commissioning
programmes.
Disabled peoples’ lives should not be totally reliant on
health and social care but must cover access issues that arise in all statutory
and voluntary organisations. In this way
people who work in these sectors will be far more knowledgeable and start to
take responsibility for their day-to-day working practices and policies.
In 1981, International Year of Disabled People, there was
a shift in thinking within local councils and, slowly, environmental access was
improved. Now time has passed, and many older
disabled people who worked tirelessly to progress access, no longer have the
energy and resources to start all over again.
Younger disabled people have greatly benefited from improved access and
they now need to get involved. Younger disabled people can work, shop, visit
refreshment outlets, and enjoy leisure pursuits, albeit not in entirely
accessible environments.
Now economic pressure is building, environment access is
crumbling, buildings need repair, potholes and cracks in our roads and
pavements appear daily, bushes and trees overhang and make it even more
difficult for people with visual impairments and learning difficulties to move
freely. Younger disabled people, with
support from those with experience, must come together to discuss and take
action. Councils must see it as a civil
right for its citizens to have access to facilities and services.
One group of young disabled people from an Organisation
called Young, Disabled and Positively Artistic (YADAPA),
who have had opportunities to engage in dance, drama, art and craft discuss
their environment and how it affect them.
After six years of pleasure and learning, they are becoming ‘political.’
Many
in early adulthood want their opinions heard.
The initial idea was for them to
have a voice and now the time has come for them to take responsibility, and
with improved confidence, speak out in whatever way they can manage to. Stephen Hawkins has made his ‘voice’ heard,
so can they!
Ann Macfarlane
October 2013
