Equal-Works

The Accessibility Framework is a set of simple criteria to help employers understand what disability means to their organisation.

One of the most important, yet often neglected, considerations for companies and organisations is the services they offer to the disability market. Businesses often focus on where they are falling short of compliance rather than embracing the spirit of the DDA, recognising the investment potential of the disabled market and looking at implementing best practice and a full understanding of disability within their organisations. There is little joined-up support for employers on disability.

The DP has been developing tools to support employers:

1. an accessibility standard – a tool to help employers to understand how fulfilling their legal obligations under the DDA will ensure commercial gain. The target is to educate employers in a much shorter time than it is taking at present, through best practice guidance and structured support provision
2. a disability strategy. Research shows that within the eastern region there is no overall strategy to develop support for disabled people. The strategy will give policy-makers an overview of the needs of the disabled population within the region and assist them in identifying the gaps in provision. An action plan is being developed that will better support disabled people and employers.
3. a disability network – to ensure that a clear, practical and unbiased central point of contact is available to disabled people, intermediary agencies and employers. The network is supporting its members in accessing information and advice on a number of subjects relating to disability. It includes representatives of so-called 'third age' and disabled groups across the region as well as providing a unique consultative body for the strategy.