Raising awareness to prevent disability discrimination

The Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA) is committed to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) among our members, trustees, employees, contractors and volunteers, and is committed to eliminating unlawful discrimination.

The VRA is currently reviewing its Equality Policy with a view to provide resources and training for VR practitioners. Whilst some requirements apply across all nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010, there are some issues that relate particularly to specific groups.  As such, alongside a review of our EDI policy, there is a need for training focused on specific protected groups.  As such, we plan to highlight some of these issues.  We start this year with a focus on disability needs.  This is a pragmatic decision, taking advantage of development of disability discrimination awareness resources by Andy Tyerman, one of the VRA trustees – please see the summary of these resources..

The resources include a summary of the context, a Disability Discrimination Awareness Questionnaire (DDAQ), four Disability Discrimination Practice Checklists (DDPCs) – for health professionals, service managers, course tutors and vocational / employment specialists – along with Suggested Action and Recommended Reading. These are available on a dedicated host website: www.equitynotjustequality.co.uk

VRA members are invited to visit the website and access the resources to raise awareness, enhance good practice, reduce discrimination and promote equality of opportunity for persons with disability, in line with legal and professional obligations. On submitting a completed DDAQ and/or DDPC you will be provided with a copy of your submission which will serve as a record of Continuing Professional Development, for example in addressing the now strengthened HCPC Standards of Proficiency on Equality, diversity and inclusion operational since 1^st September 2023.  

The resources are free to access for VRA members and the plan is to collate results for VRA practitioners and share these with VRA members on the website when sufficient responses have been received.”

Feedback from those who have tried the resources has been positive including the vocational/employment specialist practice checklist, e.g.

“I found going through the checklist a really useful exercise which helped me to reflect on my practice and identify areas I needed to adjust the way I do things to make sure I am walking the walk in terms of disability inclusivity. Working with disabled people every day, I thought I knew this stuff inside out, but it raised my awareness of aspects in my practice to consider that I hadn’t thought about before, such as when I am working with a client’s Line Manager,  to make sure I have considered their disability or health related needs as well as my client. So I highly recommend VR practitioners complete the checklist – it doesn’t take long, it’s a great CPD activity and enables you to check you are adhering to best practice.”