Tell Party Leaders: Choose Opportunity for Disabled People

So many challenges facing disabled people and their families are a result of political choices made by our politicians.

Too many spaces and services are still inaccessible. Disabled people are more likely to live in poverty, struggle to find jobs and experience lower wellbeing.

In a country as rich as Scotland it shouldn’t be this way. You can call for politicians to make a difference choice? To choose opportunity. 

 

 

We want to see Scotland be the most opportunity rich country in the world for disabled people – a place where everyone gets the chance to feel unstoppable.

By signing our petition, you will be calling for all political parties at the Scottish Parliament elections in May to create more opportunities for disabled people.

 

We want to see the next Scottish Government:

1. Introduce a Disabled People’s Access and Opportunities Bill which would include measures to improve accessibility, act on the cost of disability, and give disabled people the chances to reach their full potential.
2. A commitment to increase financial support as a central part of efforts to reduce disabled people’s poverty. 
3. Improve access to respite - Make sure that respite is available quickly when parents and carers need it.
4. Support more and better quality job opportunities for disabled people
5. Fairer funding for charities like Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Why change matters

“The constant battle to live fully in an inaccessible world is becoming increasingly difficult for many of us”

Amjid Majeed is a regular attendee at SBH Scotland’s adult social groups, where he has found connection, belonging and most importantly, friends for life. He plays an active role in his community supporting charitable activities including an initiative to recycle used mobility aids and share them with those in need in developing countries. He said: 

“Time and time again, disabled people are targeted for harassment, face discrimination, barriers, and exclusion.

“The constant battle to live fully in an inaccessible world is becoming increasingly difficult for many of us.

“We fully deserve a fair and better quality of life and living conditions.”

Amjid Majeed, from Castlemilk, Glasgow

 

 

“It took me eight months to get funding and I’m still facing another long wait to get access to respite. The process is leaving me feeling more tired and overwhelmed”

Leanne Belch is mum to Amber, 6, who has spina bifida and hydrocephalus and Laila, 12, who has arthritis.

Amber has had more than 30 operations in her young life and needs regular care and medical appointments.

Leanne started the process of applying for respite with her Local Authority back in April.

In January, they learned that they have been successful in receiving respite funding, but the wait is not over. She now could face up to a year to wait for an appropriate respite place to become available:

“We’re grateful to the Council for this funding and to the support from Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland throughout this long process. However now the wait begins to actually get respite in place. The whole thing just feels endless. 

“Everything seems like a battle when you have disabled kids. Why can’t it be easier? We’ve been through so much as a family.

“The whole process is leaving me feeling more tired and overwhelmed. I needed respite eight months ago and I need it even more now. It is so difficult to get support and there are so many families struggling out there.

“It’s great that politicians have made access to respite a right, but right now, the way the system is, the only thing that’s happening is people are just waiting and waiting.

“There’s no point in having a right to something that you can’t get access to when you need it.”

Leanne Belch, from East Kilbride

 

 

“We need to focus on what disabled people can do; not what they can’t”

Doug Ross lives with spina bifida. He has devoted his professional life to supporting disabled people into employment and supporting them in the workplace.

Recently retired from his role as Staff Disability Adviser at a major Scottish University, he believes that much more needs to be done to improve opportunities for disabled people:

 “Things are definitely better than they used to be, but the fact there is such a wide disability employment gap says that we need real action to change our national culture around disability employment.

“We need to encourage supportive and diverse workplaces as strong workplaces; see adjustments as an investment, not an expense; we need to see the point of the workplace as focusing on what disabled people can do, not what they can’t. Accessible and diverse workplaces benefit everyone.”

Doug Ross from Bishopbriggs, Glasgow

 

What is the campaign proposing to change? 

We want to see the next Scottish Government:

1. Introduce a Disabled Access and Opportunities Bill which would include measures to improve accessibility, act on the cost of disability, and give disabled people the chances to reach their full potential. The Bill would:

• Create a proactive accessibility body, with inspection powers, ability to enforce improvements and promote universal design principles.
• Introduce a Transition to Adulthood Guarantee for all disabled young people offering them support they need to plan and achieve their goals.
• Abolish non-residential social care charges.
• Create a Cost of Disability Commission, which would report annually on the cost of disability, the effectiveness of Scottish Government and Local Authority interventions and advise on increases to financial support.
• Set legally binding targets to reduce disability poverty and reduce the disability employment gap.
2. Improve access to respite – Families are waiting for months for respite they need right now. Respite needs to be available quickly when parents and carers need it.

3. Support more and better-quality job opportunities for disabled people – Disabled people are more likely to struggle to get a job or be in insecure employment. The so-called Disability Employment Gap is far too wide. More needs to be done to close it.

4. Fairer funding for charities like Spina Bifida Hydrocephalus Scotland - Despite an increase in demand and costs rising, SBH Scotland has had its core funding cut from Scottish Government by 35% (£46,000) since the beginning of this Parliament (2021/22). We’re calling for this cut to be reversed and for a more sustainable funding model for charities.