6 June 2006
Employers' Forum on Disability working with police for disability confidence
The Employers' Forum on Disability is taking the lead on the Duty to Promote Disability Equality legislation, which comes into place in December, with a number of enabling products for the police.
A new publication, ‘Serving people with disabilities’, produced in partnership with the Home Office, will provide police forces with practical advice on how to offer a quality service to disabled people, help with building confident communication and advice on serving people with disabilities.
It is written in an easy-to-read style and well illustrated, with a non-judgemental approach to disability awareness. The publication is also fully customisable for individual police forces and available to license on the intranet.
In addition to ‘Serving people with disabilities’, the Employers' Forum on Disability are holding a tailored disability awareness event for police in London on 22nd June.
‘Promoting disability equality’ will bring together forces from around the country to network and share good practice.
The event will provide help and advice on developing a disability confident police force, from experts on disability policy, disabled people, ACPO and the Home Office.
Part of the programme will include vital information on the Forum's Disability Standard, the world's first disability benchmark which will enable forces to accurately measure disability in every way in which it affects the organisation.
Robin Field Smith, MBE, of Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary (personnel, training and diversity) says:
“Police forces, as part of their duty under the DDA, need to self assess their compliance against a relevant national standard.
“The Employers' Forum on Disability has produced the Disability Standard which the HMIC commends to forces to use as part of the first year's action plan.”
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Notes
For further information on ‘Serving people with disabilities’ or the ‘Promoting disability equality’ event please call the Employers' Forum on Disability on (020) 7403 3020.
For information on the Disability Standard please call Caroline Leon on (020) 7403 3020.
For further information, please contact the Press Office
Employers' Forum on DisabilityTelephone: 020 7089 3020
Email: issy.rule@employers-forum.co.uk
Further information on the Employers' Forum on Disability, the Disability Standard and the Forum's Police Disability Network
The Employers' Forum on Disability is a national organisation, funded and run by members, which makes it easier for business to employ disabled people and serve disabled customers.
The Forum's Police Disability Network was set up by the Association of Chief Police Officers' lead on diversity in the police service in 1999. There are now over 50 police forces that are members of the PDN, as well as the Independent Police Complaints Committee, the Police Federation of England and Wales and the Home Office.
The PDN serves to aid communication throughout its members and has a seconded Police Disability Network co-ordinator who liaises with members and the Forum and helps to share best practice.
In 2005 the Forum ran the first Disability Standard – world's first benchmark survey on disability as it affects every aspect of a business. Seven forces took part – British Transport Police, City of London Police, Hertfordshire Constabulary, Leicestershire Constabulary, Lothian and Borders Police, Northamptonshire Police and West Midlands Police.
In May this year the Forum were represented at a conference held by ACPO and the Home Office to launch the DES template to assist managers in developing their action plans.
Although compliance with the DDA and the Duty to Promote is important, the Forum encourages all its members to go beyond doing the minimum and creating an inclusive culture for internal and external staff and clients, to the benefit of disabled and non-disabled people.