3 GOOD PRACTICE GUIDANCE
The project identified nineteen sources of recent guidance relevant to successful engagement with disabled people and organisations. These consist of general guidance, which includes good practice in identifying and engaging disabled people and disability organisations, and more specific guidance on capacity building and overcoming barriers.
3.1 Good Practice Guidance Consultation with Equalities Groups (2002) was updated in 2006 15. The purpose of this booklet is to provide some basic guidance about how to ensure that equalities groups are not excluded from public consultation exercises. This guidance covers:
- The nature of consultation and the need for guidance
- Preparing for consultation
- Carrying out consultation
- The main guiding principles for consulting equalities groups
3.2 This guidance booklet also provides some descriptions of good practice. For example:
- South Ayrshire Council used 'graphic communication techniques' to help people with learning disabilities give their views as part of developing a Joint Learning Disability Strategy.
- In Orkney, the social work service is developing a Children's Services Plan and has given potential participants a range of consultation options, letting them identify the best way for them to be consulted.
- As part of the development of the Equality Strategy, the Scottish Executive undertook a series of 'grassroots' consultations with disabled people, people from minority ethnic communities, women and LGBT groups. The purpose of the events was to discuss the issues raised in responses to the Equality Strategy consultation paper and to learn from those who had experienced barriers to participation.
3.3 Involvement for Real Equality10- The benefits for public services of involving disabled people describes the benefits gained and lessons learned through involving disabled people in the development and implementation of disability equality schemes ( DES) in a range of public organisations. It suggests that while involving disabled people may present challenges for some authorities, if it is properly resourced and meaningfully conducted, it can result in significant benefits for all those concerned.
3.4 In 2008 the Scottish Government published a review of literature relevant to Public Value and Participation11. This paper is aimed at public sector managers, policymakers and other stakeholders interested in increasing the democratic legitimacy of government and bringing public services closer to the citizens they serve.
3.5 The Annual Progress Reports of 2007 and 2008 - Scottish Government Disability Equality Scheme12 gives details of:
- New developments to strengthen involvement with disabled people
- Disabled people's strategic priorities
- Involvement of disabled people over the life of the scheme
- Engagement with disabled people through equality impact assessment
3.6 The 2008 Annual Report provides an overview of the actions that have been taken by the Government since publication of their revised scheme in May 2008. It contains 5 chapters, structured as follows:
- Chapter 1 provides the background, context and approach to its disability equality scheme annual report.
- Chapter 2 reports on headline policies across Government which are delivering progress on disability equality.
- Chapter 3 reports on the progress being made through processes, including impact assessment.
- Chapter 4 reports on progress across human resource ( HR) functions.
- Chapter 5 summarises progress made in relation to gathering information.
- Appendix 1 provides data on a range of measures of progress on disability equality.
3.7 Ipsos MORI, on behalf of the Office for Disability Issues ( ODI), carried out a compliance audit of public authorities required to publish a disability equality scheme ( DES) between December 2006 and January 2007. This was published as 'Moving Forward' Conclusions14.
3.8 Following this, organisations that took part in the compliance audit were invited to a series of events across the country. The events were held in Cardiff, London and Manchester in March and April 2007.
3.9 In the box below are some of the good practice tips participants found helpful in developing their schemes that are relevant to engaging disability organisations.
Moving Forward Conclusions |
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Achieving senior level support: - Secure senior level support early.
- Link disability equality schemes with other business structures such as risk management and strategic planning to achieve a higher profile and embed them across the organisation.
- Nominate a dedicated member of staff to help secure commitment to disability equality.
- Create a spirit of competition and look at what other public bodies are doing within the sector to secure senior level support.
- If all else fails, consider using the threat of legal action.
Involving disabled people: - Involve disability groups and disabled people in identifying priorities before you write your plan. Be flexible in your approach.
- Continue to communicate with disabled people and organisations who are involved throughout the process so they know what is happening.
- Establish a dedicated group to ensure ongoing involvement.
- Be honest and realistic about what can be achieved and give disabled people a real chance to help shape action plans and priorities.
- Consider collaborating with other organisations to reduce costs and get a wider range of views on actions and priorities.
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3.10 Section 8 of the Fair For All4 Checklist explains how service users' experiences can help improve access to services. It includes information, not only on principles of good community engagement detailed above at paragraph 2.15, but on:
- Definitions of community engagement.
- The role of policy and legislation.
- Learning from complaints.
- Contribution of patients in service delivery and design.
- Services to wider groups of people with disabilities.
3.11 Some of the information will be of particular interest to those involved in planning and developing engagement and involvement strategies, such as equality and diversity leads and staff in Community Health Partnerships ( CHP).
3.12 The checklist sets out good practice in community engagement. There are then examples of how service users have been involved in various aspects of the design and delivery of health services. The checklist includes:
- Consult with disabled people on all services, not just those that focus on disability issues.
- Ensure all community engagement activities have a clear remit, where disabled people have the opportunity and time to influence the planning, design and delivery of the work.
- Recognise that disabled people are not a homogenous group, and that people will have differing needs and experiences and will face different barriers regardless of their disability.
- Find out if anyone else in your board or local authority has already done similar work which could be used as a learning experience.
- Monitor activities to make sure they include people with a wide range of different disabilities.
- Make sure all participants are informed of the results of their involvement using formats and methods which suit their needs.
3.13 How to Actively Involve Disabled People5 (see 2.16 above) suggests a variety of mechanisms that can be used to increase participation with disabled organisations, such as:
- one-to-one interviews
- video footage
- text messages on mobile phones
- providing an opportunity for disabled people to make comments, for example, on specifically designated notice boards, the use of comment boxes, or the creation of online virtual forums and chat rooms
- the direct representation of disabled people on groups and at meetings such as student unions, equality and diversity groups, governors meetings and academic boards.
3.14 Capability Scotland Plain Talking18 provides practical advice about communicating with disabled people. This document highlights barriers caused by behaviours and language of non-disabled people and provides some very useful tips for avoiding these barriers and improving disabled people's capacity to participate.
3.15 The 'Barriers to Involvement' section of How to Actively Involve Disabled People5 looks at ways of addressing involvement fatigue and concerns about confidentiality. (see also para 2.16)
3.16 A number of examples of good practice in engaging with disabled organisations and people can be found in Audit Scotland - Best Value and Community Planning Audits6.
3.17 Also Section 5 of Reporting on Progress towards Equality of Opportunity between Disabled Persons and Other Persons made by Public Authorities in Scotland: the Scottish Ministers' Duties19, gives examples of the mechanisms local authorities throughout Scotland use to consult and involve disabled people and organisations.