Motion #01
N/A.
DY100 This policy relates to all disabilities including injury, illness, or congenital condition that is likely to cause a long-term limitation (usually defined as one year or more) of function, neurodivergence, and mental health issues. This includes sensory (including d/Deaf people) and brain differences of all kinds, including cognitive and neurodevelopmental conditions.
DY101 Disability is a social phenomenon and an evolving concept. Disability results from the interaction between people with impairments and the attitudes and barriers that hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
DY200 Traditional legal and policy views of ‘disability’ have been based on the ‘medical’ or ‘individual’ models. “Fixing” impairments by aids, assistive technology, and rehabilitation have been emphasised where the individual model dominates. While we do need effective provision in this area to enable people to live an independent life, it is important to understand how society disables people. Many disabled people in Wales and England do not feel that they are being listened to by those in power and are concerned that their rights are not on the agenda, let alone being protected.
DY201 From 2020 to 2022, at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, 68% of the deaths in Wales were disabled people, despite only 22% of the people in Wales being classed as disabled. In England during this timeframe, disabled men and women were approximately 1.4 / 1.6% more likely to die of COVID-19 and related conditions- this rose to 4.6% in some waves. COVID-19 continues to expose stark inequalities faced by disabled people in society, with widespread instances of their human rights being breached, or potentially breached. Disability discrimination is not just a health and social problem. Society is exclusionary when the needs of disabled people are not considered during the creation of new ways of living.
DY202 The Green Party calls for the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability (UNCRPD) to be incorporated into Welsh and English law. The UN Treaty outlines the rights of disabled people to education, employment, participation in politics, independent living, and health. Incorporation of this law would mean that the rights of disabled people would have to be considered when enacting every law in the Senedd and in Westminster. It provides a framework for all when developing policy for politicians, public bodies, and all others who deliver services that impact the lives of disabled people. The Social Model of Disability
DY203 The Social Model, developed by disabled people within the UK disability rights movement in the 1970s makes an important distinction between ‘impairment’ and ‘disability’. The model is clear that the impairment, or the body of the disabled person does not cause the disablement. Rather, social, physical, and institutional barriers are the main cause of the problems faced by disabled people. Barriers may include people’s attitudes to disability, physical (such as stairs to access buildings), and organisational barriers.
DY204 The Social Model is an alternate way of understanding access issues and social exclusion and sees the problem as the disabling world. The Social Model explores why our society does not treat all its members equally.
DY205 While not all disabled people agree with the Social Model, and there are challenges that it may not include the experiences of those with chronic pain or other disabilities, it is largely understood that the Social Model aims to be emancipatory and push for social and structural change to be more inclusive, rather than demand the individual changes.
DY300 If disabled people are to be able to participate fully in mainstream society, the way that society is organised must be changed. Removing barriers which exclude and disable people with impairments can bring about this change.
DY400 The Green Party supports Article 19 of the UNCRPD, which commits to independent living and sets out a framework which government and local authorities can use to improve the ability of disabled people to achieve independent living in England and Wales.
DY401 The Green Party affirms that all human rights and fundamental freedoms apply to everyone and cannot be divided. Disabled people should be guaranteed the full enjoyment of rights and freedoms without discrimination
DY402 The Green Party will ensure that the Minister with responsibility for Equalities gives regular media briefings on progress in how they are tackling inequality, especially in relation to disabled people.
DY403 The Green Party is committed to the maxim adopted by the Disability movement “Nothing about us without us”.
DY404 The Green Party will establish a Disabled People’s Commissioner of Wales and a Disabled Commissioner of England to ensure the enforcement of laws related to disabled people.
DY405 Government policy should not be based on the advice of private sector companies which will profit from the advice they give. Responsibility for providing appropriate services such as personal care packages remains with the local authority, and if the care package is contracted out, written evidence should be submitted proving that this is the best option and agreed to by the receiver of the care package.
DY406 Disabled people have a right to services and support that enables them to participate as full members of our democratic society, including in elected office at all levels.
DY407 The Green Party is committed to ensuring that all new policies should be considered from the perspective of whether they promote equality.
DY408 Public awareness of the level of oppression of disabled people must be raised through a public awareness campaign to be devised jointly with disabled peoples’ groups. This broader societal awareness is important to reduce the stigma and violence experienced by disabled people.
DY500 The Green Party recognises that disabled people are far more likely to live in poverty and we will therefore work towards ensuring that this is addressed through income policies and by ensuring effective equality of opportunity in life skills, education, training, and employment.
DY501 All disabled people, including those with profound learning disabilities, deserve to have a healthy life worth living. The social care system will be geared towards the co-production of appropriate living accommodations, worthwhile activities, and experiences and as independent a life as feasible for those who require them. A publicly-funded advocacy body will be responsible for ensuring that the voices of learning-disabled people are heard.
DY502 The Green Party will ensure that the economic contract with employers and businesses in Wales and England incorporates enforceable measures to tackle the disability employment gap, protecting the rights of disabled people in the workplace through ensuring access to discrimination services.
DY503 Fairer societies are better for all people. Equality leads to inclusion, which leads to informed citizenship. Whereas discrimination leads to prejudice, which leads to isolation.
DY504 When austerity policies happen there is a negative, disproportionate, and cumulative impact on disabled people. Interventions must be put in place to mitigate this impact.
DY505 The Green Party’s policy on Universal Basic Income (UBI) EC730 will revolutionise the way the welfare state operates. The Green Party will ensure a needs-based premium for disabled people, including both those who can work and those who cannot. For those who work, no lower hourly rate will be permitted based on disability. The Green Party will also institute an educational support allowance with UBI, with a premium for disabled students.
DY506 Any disability premium or support will be maintained if the individual cohabits or marries a partner.
DY507 All forms of Universal Basic Income and any disability premiums, and associated advice, will be offered in the most accessible formats for the individuals receiving them.
DY508 Carer’s Allowance will be expanded, including all who provide unpaid care regardless of their income. Disabled people with care packages for carers will be given a greater choice. For example, the designing of care packages, the training of their carers, and ensuring that carers receive the same hourly wage when paid either through direct payments, agency work, or directly through councils.
DY509 The Green Party acknowledges the harm that assessments for disability premiums can cause. The adverse conditions will be managed with the following: a ban on private providers of assessments which are not disabled-led, with no quotas for denials. A free choice of location for assessments (in the home or otherwise), a more responsive system to fluctuating and deteriorating conditions, properly trained assessors, and an individual-focused approach.
DY510 The Green Party would expand the provisions of Access to Work and similar schemes, supporting and encouraging employers to employ and retain disabled employees. This could include providing specialist employment advisors, and more support around the current Reasonable Adjustments Passports scheme, designed to allow a disabled employee to more easily explain their needs in new employment settings. We would ensure reasonable adjustments are identified and mandatory, tailored to individuals in all work settings.
DY511 The Green Party would institute a legal requirement for employers to institute Access to Work recommendations.
DY512 The Green Party would institute a legal requirement to report pay inequality towards disabled employees.
DY513 The Green Party would mandate that specific leave for disability be recorded separately from sick leave.
DY600 The Green Party believes that the inclusion of the history of disabled people and the Social Model of Disability in the Welsh and English curriculum is vital to overcoming ableism.
DY601 The Green Party would make Disability Equality Training mandatory at all levels of Government and public bodies. Through an expanded Access to Work scheme, this could be extended to privately run businesses.
DY602 Inequality and segregation within our workforce is shaped by choices made early on in life in education and deeply affect potential and aspirations for the future. Early interventions and opportunities for learning will need to be flexible for disabled people and take into account adaptations which enable access, particularly to STEM subjects. Lifelong learning opportunities will aid those who may, for medical reasons, need to study over a longer period of time.
DY603 Disabled people will be protected within educational establishments, and all possible steps will be taken to prevent disabled people from harassment and exclusion.
DY604 Training and support services will recognise that individuals with different abilities may need different facilities and approaches.
DY605 Stereotypes about disabled people affect confidence and freedom of expression. Improving careers advice and guidance will challenge assumptions and broaden horizons.
DY606 Apprenticeships will be a key pathway for ensuring that disabled people have a pathway into training and work that can be individualised according to needs, interests, and desires in order to be accessible. The existing apprenticeship schemes should be expanded and improved.
DY607 The Green Party will invest in lifelong learning and ensure a strategic focus on tackling inequality for disabled people, focusing on the accessibility of current and future schemes.
DY608 The Green Party acknowledges that the need for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) provision is higher than ever, while the funding is in crisis. The Green Party would focus spending on SEND where it is needed most to ensure that all children who need it are able to access it safely and securely.
DY609 For SEND children able to attend ‘mainstream’ schools, the Green Party would ensure all teachers receive some form of SEND training as standard.
DY610 The Green Party will ensure education consistency for children who spend a substantial amount of time in hospitals or are unable to attend school due to illness. This may be through the use of hybrid learning, or support packets, depending on the individual child’s needs and abilities.
DY611 The transition between children’s and adult’s services can be traumatic. The Green Party would ensure that the current gap between children’s and adult’s services is reduced and eventually eradicated.
DY612 Many higher education facilities are not accessible; for a variety of reasons. The Green Party would ensure that all HE institutions are accessible to all students.
DY701 The Green Party will ensure that public transport policies are developed in collaboration with local communities and based on need.
DY702 All bodies involved in decision-making about public transport must demonstrate how solutions have been developed and co-produced by disabled people.
DY703 It is required that public transport providers and local authorities collect data on user behaviour and need to inform continued service development.
DY704 Safety will be improved, informed by disabled people who are service users to make them safer. Improved public spaces will ensure that disabled people can travel safely and without fear.
DY705 The Green Party would institute a fairer and more accessible form of transport costs; including more flexible journey ticket prices and part-time hours.
DY706 The Green Party would invest more in public transport design at the earliest stages, in order to make all stations and all forms of public transport accessible for all those with physical and sensory needs met as standard.
DY707 Public transport design must consider the diversity of disabled people, the lives we lead and the reasons we take journeys. Public transport should be designed to allow multiple disabled people (for example, wheelchair users) to travel together.
DY708 The Green Party would ensure proper enforcement over the use of disabled spaces in public transport. While we appreciate space is at a premium, spaces (e.g. for wheelchair users) must be protected, and transport officials given appropriate power and support to enforce this.
DY801 Disabled people must be able to report all crimes, including disability-motivated hate crimes, in an accessible and safe manner that suits them. Current processes for reporting crime are not suitable for many individuals, leading to a lack of support, a lower reporting rate and underreporting in statistics.
DY802 The Green Party would ensure that disabilities are taken into consideration at every level of disaster risk planning, including their inclusion in the processes. Disabled people must be prioritised in all planning for disaster events, including pandemics, extreme weather, and terrorist scenarios. Disabled people must be included in the planning and preparedness process, and solutions devised that are suitable to a range of individuals.
DY803 Greater support and training must be provided to all emergency services to help them understand the variety of needs of disabled people and provide support to them, which is suitable, tailored, and appropriate in times of need. This includes British Sign Language provisioning, supporting different mobility needs, adapting information for those with alternative communicative needs and other adaptations not captured here.
DY804 Many of the individual actions we take to reduce our risk have financial implications. Disabled people experience poverty at higher rates while also often requiring more financial support to simply live an equal life. Grants and funds must be made available to support disabled people to take individual actions which can increase their resilience in times of risk.
DY901 New housing which is built should aim to meet the needs of today and the future. They should be built with accessibility in mind, either with required services already provided or the ability to retrofit them when needed.
DY902 Disabled people should be able to remain in their own homes when they wish. Funds should be available to adapt houses wherever possible to reduce the financial burden on disabled people.
DY903 Stronger protections should be available for disabled individuals who rent, both existing renters who acquire a disability/have a progressive condition and need adaptations while in an existing property and new renters.
DY1001 Any personal carbon budgets, or restrictions on personal emissions must take individual circumstances into account, including disability-specific needs for equipment, diet, or transport.
DY1002 Disabled people must be given greater financial support to transition their energy use, to acknowledge the greater financial costs incurred for many disabled individuals. DY1003 Systemic changes to energy use which happen above the individual level, must take into consideration disability-specific needs, and not attempt to enforce a lower living standard for a disabled person compared with a non-disabled counterpart due to differing energy needs.
Last updated on 2024-09-08 at 15:20