Welcome to our regular disability news update…remember to keep coming back each month for a regular review of all things Inclusion, OT, DDA and disability related!!

We have mainly continued closely working with the KCC Occupational Therapy Adult Departments for the past few months helping clear their waiting lists but we have also been fortunate enough to work with the following other clients on both private Occupational Therapy & DDA audit related work:

• Heringtons solicitors
• Just Law solicitors
• Ormerods Solicitors
• HCML
• Kynixa Case Management
• Blackheath Halls
• Mind
• First Assist
• Numerous Private OT clients

General news:

Credit crisis hits disability charities

Disability charities are starting to feel the effects of the credit crunch, according to a number of the larger organisations. Although they are trying to rein in spending, donations and funding from individuals and companies are on the decline. Scope has already announced a series of redundancies, and more are expected in other organisations.

However, Liz Sayce, Chief Executive of RADAR, warns that it is the smaller, grassroots charities that might be affected to the greatest extent: “Organisations that have shared their concerns with us include access groups, centres for independent living and disability coalition organisations that have either missed out on contracts that have gone to larger organisations or who are seeing a decline in donations and corporate sponsorship.” The Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations is calling for the private sector and Government to support charities to prevent them facing closure.

Disability Now’s website outlines a number of reactions from disability charities in response to the credit crisis www.disabilitynow.org.uk/latest-news2/news-focus/charities-feel-the-chill

Measuring the impact of the recession

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is going to work with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to assess the impact of the economic downturn on different groups of people, from men and women through to ethnic minorities and older and disabled people. If the research shows that any of the
groups are disproportionately affected by the recession, the EHRC and DWP will investigate what policies can be put in place to reverse the trend.

A spokesperson for the EHRC said: “By developing a clear understanding of what is happening on the ground we can make a difference this time round. For example, if the Commission knows that some people are being disadvantaged in a particular sector, we can work with those employers to make sure they think about retaining talent through flexible approaches like reduced hours and that they follow redundancy processes that are fair to all their employees.”

For further information on the research, visit the EHRC website:

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/newsandcomment/Page/CommissiontoworkinpartnershipwithDepartmentofWorkandPensionstoassesstheimpactoftherecess
ion.aspx

The EHRC has also produced a guide to managing the downturn to help employers ensure that they do not discriminate unfairly in these difficult financial times. The guide, entitled Managing the downturn and preparing for recovery, can be downloaded from the EHRC websit:

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publicationsandresources/Pages/Managingthedownturn.aspx?k=managing%20the%20downturn

Revised BS 8300 now available

Following extensive consultation, the long-awaited revision to BS 8300 has finally been released. The publication is entitled BS 8300:2009 Designofbuildings and theirapproaches tomeettheneeds of disabled people Code of practice, and includes:

• amendments to existing guidance, bringing a number of recommendations in line with other standards
• completely new guidance, concerning elements such as parking provision and Changing Places facilities
• recommendations that allow for greater flexibility in certain situations

The revised guidance can be purchased from the British Standards Institution website:

http://www.bsi-global.com/Shop/Publication-Detail/?pid=000000000030153846

Inclusion are based around London, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and cover the whole of the south of the UK. We also cover up to the midlands and over towards the south west of the country – please contact us for further details or for free support and advice around any DDA or Occupational Therapy issues.