QUESTIONNAIRE UNITED KINGDOM
EBU Questionnaire Survey on the situation of blind and partially sighted
people
across the 27 EU Member States
September 2007
Name: Anne Spinali – European Campaigns Officer
Organisation: Royal National Institute of
the Blind
Country: United Kingdom
e-mail address:
anne.spinali@rnib.org.uk
Telephone number: +44 207 391 2087
1/ Benefits
1.1. Does your country have any form of benefits system/ allowance for
blind or partially sighted people?
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Yes
1.2. If yes, is this allowance sufficient or does it need to be
increased ?
Needs to be increased
2/ Transport / Mobility
2.1. Does your country provide blind and partially sighted people with
any form of assistance for access to public transportation?
Yes
2.2. If yes, in what form?
2.2.1. Facilities allowing a better accessibility of public transport for blind and partially sighted people:
2.2.2. Financial aid:
2.2.3. If yes, is this assistance available :
At reduced cost.
Free of charge
Don’t know.
2.3. Are there any measures facilitating the mobility of blind of
partially sighted people?
Yes
2.3.1 If yes, are they:
Financing of guide dogs.
Tactile paving.
Provision of auditory means of communication.
Provision of auditory signals at crosswalks.
In the UK, guide dogs are provided by the charity Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (www.guidedogs.org.uk), the world's largest breeder and trainer of working dogs.
Don’t know.
2.4. Concerning accessibility / transport in general, what suggestions
for improvement do you have?
RNIB’s recent report, ‘Travellers’ tales’, makes over 50 recommendations on
accessibility and transport in general and identifies the Government, local
councils, bus and train operators, the police and the general public as all
having a role to play in improving accessibility and safety for travellers
with sight problems.
Recommendations include:
• audible announcements on trains and buses
• proper funding for mobility training
• controlled accessible crossings, with audible, visual and tactile signals
• better street lighting
• proper enforcement of legislation to stop parking offences
• cycle lanes to keep cyclists off the pavement
• disability awareness training for all transport staff
• tactile edges to platforms
• accessible travel and platform information
• staff assistance, especially when it has already been booked.
3/ Employment
3.1. Are private companies under any obligation to recruit a certain
number of disabled people?
No
3.2. Are some jobs reserved in priority for:
3.2.1. Disabled people?
3.2.2. Blind or partially sighted people?
3.3. Are there any targeted wage subsidies or bonus for employers who
recruit blind and partially sighted people?
Bonus.
Targeted wage
subsidies.
Other (explanation)
Access to Work (AtW) is a scheme run by Jobcentre Plus.
The scheme provides advice and practical support to disabled people and their
employers to help overcome work related obstacles resulting from a disability.
As well as giving advice and information to disabled people and employers, AtW
pays a grant through Jobcentre Plus towards any extra employment costs that
result from a disability. However, this scheme only applies to disabled people
who already are in employment, not those searching for employment.
Don’t know.
3.4. Does your country have sheltered workshops or any other kind of
structure employing only blind and partially sighted people?
Yes
3.5. Are there any other incentives in your country to facilitate blind
and partially sighted people’s employment?
Yes (explanation) Under the UK
Disability Discrimination Act (2004), an employer is liable for the
discriminatory actions of his or her staff, unless s/he can prove that s/he
has taken reasonably practicable steps to prevent staff from discriminating
(such as providing disability awareness training).
Where the employer’s practice may put the disabled person at a substantial
disadvantage compared with people who are not disabled, the employer has to
take reasonable steps to prevent the provision criterion or practice, or
feature from having that effect.
In addition, since December 2006, all public sector organisations are under
the legal duty to actively promote equality of opportunity for disabled people
(Disability Equality Duty).
3.6. What is the situation with regard to the employment of blind and
partially sighted women:
Under-employment.
Discrimination in recruitment.
Discrimination in wages.
Don’t know.
3.7. Concerning employment in general, what kind of suggestion for
improvement do you have?
The unemployment rate of blind and partially sighted
people in the UK is still at 69%. We want to see:
• increased supported employment opportunities
• better measures to improve job retention
• new ways of getting people with sight problems into jobs, such as training
schemes.
In particular, we are working to:
• urge employers to take account of the needs of blind and partially sighted
people in the recruitment process by ensuring that advertisements, application
forms and interviews are accessible
• call on government to take action to support employers and people with sight
problems more effectively.
• show employers and service providers that they must recognise and harness
the abilities of blind and partially sighted people, making use of the
practical and financial support available to them.
4/ Education
4.1. Does your country have specialized schools for blind of partially
sighted children?
Yes
4.2. Is it possible for blind of partially sighted children to attend
mainstream schools?
Yes
4.2.1. If yes, are there any support services for blind and partially sighted children?
Provision of books in Braille.
Provision of Braille writing devices.
Provision of adapted electronic devices.
Support by specially trained teachers.
Most visually impaired children in mainstream schools are supported by classroom assistants, usually on a one-to-one basis; there are more than 12,000 TAs in the UK working with visually impaired children.
Another way to help visually impaired children feel part of the class is to ensure they can follow the lesson. An RNIB survey in 2000 found one in four visually impaired children in mainstream schools was often given material in a format they couldn’t read, while around a third said they had received test papers in an inaccessible format.
There is crucial lack of textbooks available in large print, braille or electronic format. At Key Stage 4 (aged 14-16 GCSE level):
• Only one of the 21 science titles prescribed by exam boards are available in braille - none are in large print
• Only one large print English language or literature study support text was available in large print - none were in braille.
Don’t know.
4.3. Can blind or partially sighted students at university benefit from
some form of financial aid to purchase an adapted computer?
Yes
4.4. With regard to education in general, what kind of suggestions for
improvement do you have?
RNIB is calling for the Government to resource a central
system of converting and securely storing textbook publisher's electronic
files and making them available to teachers.
5. REHABILITATION CENTRES FOR BLIND AND PARTIALLY SIGHTED PEOPLE
5.1. Does your country have any rehabilitation centre for blind or
partially sighted people?
Yes
5.2. Concerning rehabilitation centres, what suggestions for improvement
do you have?
Increase the number of centres.
Yes
Improve existing
centres.
Yes
Increase the capacity of the
centre.
Yes
Improve the training of staff (auxiliary nursing staff,
special education teacher …)
Yes
Modernise the methods of rehabilitation to daily life.
Yes
Modernise professional training.
Yes
Other (explanation)
There is a chronic shortage of rehabilitation workers UK
wide – around 1100 are needed to meet current demand. Around 30 per cent of
people delivering rehabilitation services do not hold the necessary level of
qualifications to do the job – akin to someone without a driving license
teaching a sighted person how to drive.
Don’t know.
5.3. Have you noted any progress in these areas?
No
5.3.1. If no, did you notice a decline in the quality of the rehabilitation measures for blind and partially sighted people?
6/ VOCATIONAL TRAINING
6.1. Does your country have a specialized vocational training centre for
employed or unemployed blind and partially sighted people?
No
6.2. Can blind or partially sighted employed or unemployed people attend
mainstream vocational training centres?
Yes
6.3. If yes, are there any support services for the blind and partially
sighted?
Provision of books in Braille.
Provision of Braille writing devices.
Provision of adapted electronic devices.
Support by specially trained teachers.
Other (explanation) There a wide range of
agencies serving blind and partially sighted people that provide support for
vocational training as well as vocational training.
Visage, for instance is European Social Fund funded initiative which gathers
several agencies across the UK (including the RNIB) and aims to find new
routes into the workplace for blind and partially sighted jobseekers. This
involves research with blind and partially sighted people, working with
employers of people who are blind or partially sighted (or who have other
disabilities) as well as developing the job skills of blind or partially
sighted jobseekers.
http://www.visage-equal.org.uk/default.asp
RNIB itself provides a trainee grade scheme which offers paid work experience
to unemployed blind and partially sighted people. Each placement lasts for 50
weeks or until alternative employment is secured whichever occurs sooner. The
scheme offers opportunities in a range of work areas in different departments
within RNIB..
Don’t know.
6.4. Have these measures been adopted since your country’s accession to
the EU or did they exist before?
Old
6.5. With regard to vocational training in general, what kind of
suggestions for improvement do you have?
We want to see improved the inclusion of workers
or trainees who are blind or partially sighted in vocational training
programmes. In particular, unless facilities and systems are devised and
introduced now, the development of e-learning in training systems across the
EU may lead to the substantial exclusion of this group.
7. ACCESSIBILITY OF ICTs
7.1. Is it possible to obtain support for ICTs for blind people of all age categories:
At school.
Yes
At university.
Yes
At work.
Yes
At home.
Yes
What kind of support ? (Please explain)
There is statutory funding for equipment available for those blind and partially sighted people in compulsory education, higher education and employment.
In the UK, disabled students can receive a Disabled Students' Allowance, which is paid on top of the standard student finance package and don't have to be repaid. It can help with: specialist equipment for studying - for example, computer software; a non-medical helper, such as a note-taker or reader; extra travel costs; and other costs - for example, tapes or Braille paper. Students may also be eligible for a mandatory or discretionary award from their Local Education Authority (LEA).
Disabled employees or disabled people in need of support for a job interview can benefit from Access to Work assistance, which provides practical support and helps to meet additional costs associated with overcoming work related obstacles resulting from disability. For example, it, it can help pay for: adaptations to premises and equipment, communication support at interview, special aids and equipment, support workers, travel to work, and “one off” items of support that do not fit elsewhere, such as a grant towards the awareness training for close colleagues.
For personal use, blind and partially sighted people need to purchase a standard computer. However access technology such as specialised software can be VAT exempt, but only if they are registered disabled. In certain situations RNIB can make grants to help blind and partially sighted people registered in the UK purchase computer related equipment, software and CCTV equipment.
7.2. Is it possible to obtain support for ICTs for partially sighted people
of all age categories ?
At school.
Yes
At university.
Yes
At work.
Yes
At home.
Yes
What kind of support ? (Please explain)
See question 7.1
8/ E-GOVERNMENT
8.1. How do you evaluate the accessibility of public websites
(E-government; documents, forum, services, interactive pages, etc.)
Very good.
Good.
Medium.
Bad.
Very bad.
It has been a legal requirement for UK websites to be accessible since 1999. Since then all websites have been expected to make “reasonable adjustments” to ensure their websites accommodate all users regardless of their ability.
8.2. Is your government doing anything to make E-government websites
accessible to blind and partially sighted people?
Yes
(Please explain):
In order to meet European objectives for inclusive e-government and so that the UK public sector meets its obligations with regards to disability legislation, the UK government is proposing that all government websites must meet Level Double-A of the W3C guidelines by December 2008.
Government websites are strongly recommended to develop an accessibility policy to aid the planning and procurement of inclusive websites. This includes building a business case, analysing user needs, developing an accessibility test plan and procuring accessible content authoring tools.
The government is currently consulting on guidance which covers some of the design solutions to common problems faced by users but is mainly aimed at strategic managers and project managers to assist with planning and procurement.
9/ EU INFLUENCE
9. Do you think that the EU has had a positive influence on the situation of
blind and partially sighted people in your country ?
Yes
(Please explain):
Disability discrimination in the UK is already covered by the Disability Discrimination Act and the Disability Equality Duty. However, EU legislation in the fields of eInclusion, such as the possibility to include accessibility requirements in public procurement, has encouraged the UK government to put in place additional measures.
10/ Finally, do you have any expectation with regard to your country’s
belonging to the EU?
10. Do you have expectations with regard to:
Employment.
Yes
Education.
Yes
Vocational training.
Yes
Rehabilitation centres.
Transport / mobility.
Yes
Accessibility of buildings and traffic lanes.
Access to information (accessibility of ICTs).
Yes
Financial support.
Gender equality.
Yes
Other. (please explain)