Appendix 2: Draft Access All Areas (best practice standards)
'Access all areas' is a key element of the Our Manchester Disability Plan. The plan sets out to achieve a disabled child and adult-friendly city.
This draft document is the first step to an access all areas quick-reference guide for the whole city to use. The aim of the guide is that once it is completed, any individual or organisation in Manchester can easily identify best practice when living and working with, supporting, planning and building for disabled children and adults, their families and carers. It will enable friends, neighbours, planners, service providers, employers (the list is almost endless) to measure themselves or their organisations against this best practice and identify where and how they need to change.
We envisage a fully developed access all areas guide will be based on the 12 areas covered by the pillars of independent living. It will include:
- statements describing best practice – what ‘good’ looks like for disabled children and adults
- references to real-life examples of best practice, standards and further reading.
The full access all areas document will be developed through consultation, and approval for the final version will come from the Our Manchester Disability Plan engagement group and the Our Manchester Disability Plan partnership board.
Pillars of independent living and the standards we would aspire to for a disability friendly city
Appropriate and accessible information
Information is made available to suit any disabled person’s communication preferences – eg easy to read, Braille, audio, email, large print.
An adequate income
Timely provision to appropriate financial and welfare advice to maximise a person’s income.
Appropriate and accessible health and social care provision
Health and social care organisations and services to take a person-centred approach to meeting needs. Services need to be accessible to ensure that all communities can access timely health and care support.
A fully accessible transport system
Manchester’s transport system is fully accessible to disabled people, and regular feedback is received to rectify any accessibility issues.
Full access to the built environment
Planners and developers need to comply with and actively contribute to the standards set in the Equality Act 2010. Disabled people want to access the same community and city facilities that everyone else can.
Adequate provision of technical aids and equipment
Access to timely technical aids and equipment is available to disabled people of all ages as required. Services for children and young people are the same as those for adults where necessary.
Availability of accessible and adapted housing
A range of suitable types of adapted accommodation is available that meets the needs of different disabled people and their families. Co-ordination and allocation of the city’s social- rented adapted housing stock should be improved.
Adequate provision of personal assistance
Disabled people who are entitled to a personal budget (social care) are actively supported to have a personal assistant who is appropriately trained to provide the right support.
Equal opportunities for employment
The city’s employers promote equality of opportunity so that disabled people can access work and they are actively supported through reasonable workplace adjustments.
Availability of peer support
Where appropriate, organisations create opportunities for disabled people in similar circumstances to share experiences and receive mutual peer support.
Availability of independent advocacy and self-advocacy
All organisations provide access to independent advocacy. For disabled people to be able to self-advocate, they need to be supported with confidence-building skills and encouragement.
Availability of peer support
Where appropriate, organisations create opportunities for disabled people in similar circumstances to share experiences and receive mutual peer support.