The Disability Equality Duty
(DDA 2005)
Length of programme: Minimum ½ day for senior executives and 1 day for managers and supervisors
The Disability Equality Duty (DED) is the most recent part of the Disability Discrimination Act and came into force in December 2006.The DED requires public sector bodies to promote the equality of disabled people. This means that people working for organisations such as local authorities, hospitals, schools and the police will be required by law to consider how their work affects disabled people and to take action to tackle any inequality.
When carrying out their duties public authorities should pay ‘due regard’ to the need to:
1. Eliminate unlawful disability discrimination
2. Eliminate disability-related harassment
3. Promote equality of opportunity for disabled people
4. Promote positive attitudes towards disabled people
5. Encourage the participation of disabled people in public life
These duties are underpinned by a requirement to treat disabled people more favourably than others in some circumstances.
Many public bodies also have to produce a Disability Equality Scheme, which sets out how they intend to meet the five duties above. The Disability Equality Scheme must contain a three-year action plan, together with information on how the organisation intends to measure the impact its activities have on disabled people. Disabled people must be involved on an ongoing basis in identifying and prioritising barriers and issues to be addressed by public organisations. Disability Equality Schemes must be made public and progress in relation to action plans must be reported annually.
These new duties are different from the duties under the race relations amendment Act and require public sector bodies to undertake additional actions. Any member of the public can apply to the courts for judicial review of any organisation in breach of the duty.
