VICTORIA EATHORNE

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• VICTORIA EATHORNE
• Disability Advisor
• RCN Learning Representative

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• The Disability Discrimination Act 2001 and its
  implications for Education Training
• for Learning Representatives

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AIMS

• To outline .
• D.D.A. 1995
• S.E.N.D.A. 2001
• Implications for Learning Reps
• D.R.C. -Good Practice Codes

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Background

• Disabled people are twice as likely as
  non-disabled people to have no qualifications
  whatsoever
• One in five pupils will be identified as having a
  'special educational need' while at school
• One in twenty disabled people are at a college of
  further or higher education or university -
  compared to one in ten of the rest of the
  population
• More than double the number of disabled people
  are out of work compared to non-disabled people

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Disability Discrimination Act 1995

• Those providing goods, facilities or services
  have duties-
• Not to refuse a service
• Provide worse standards OR
• Offer service on worse terms
• on grounds of a person being disabled

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Disability Discrimination Act 1995

• Also Covered
• goods, facilities, services and premises
• Employment
• Letting Selling property

• AND
• Education
• ONLY obligation to produce an annual statement

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SENDA 2001 from September 2002

• (1) It is unlawful for the body responsible for
  an Institution to discriminate against a disabled
  person-
• (a) in the arrangements it makes for
  determining admission to the Institution as a
  student
• (b) in the terms on which it offers to admit
  him to the Institution as a student or

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• (c) by refusing or deliberately omitting to
  accept an application for his admission to the
  Institution as a student.
• (2) It is unlawful for the body responsible
  for an Institution to discriminate against a
  disabled student in the education or associated
  services provided for, or offered to, students at
  the Institution by that body.

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Main duties under SENDA 2001

• 1- Not to treat disabled RCN members less
  favourably
• 2- To make reasonable adjustments to avoid
  putting the disabled participant at a substantial
  disadvantage

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Associated services...

• Access to facilities
• Grouping of students
• Breaks and lunchtimes
• Serving of meals
• The curriculum
• Preparation for entry to the Institution

• Policies
• Clubs and activities
• Assessment and exams
• Trips
• Homework
• Sports
• classroom organisation

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Who is covered?

• Disabled persons as defined by the DDA 1995
• Someone who has a physical or mental impairment
  which has a substantial and long-term adverse
  effect on his or her ability to carry out normal
  day to day activities

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Codes

• Schools and Post-16
• Consultation ended Oct 2001
• School nurses forum contributed to RCN response
• Code commenced in May 2002

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Learning Representatives

• Learning Reps assist members with professional
  development
• Accessing education and training courses
• Pre and post registration courses

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Supporting RCN members

• Identify disabled RCN members
• provide support
• link with training departments, universities,
  colleges, LTSN
• negotiate with employers workshops, events,
  training needs

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Supporting Learning Reps

• LCET team provide training for learning reps
  across the UK
• RCN Adviser on Disability issues
• Distance learning pack on DDA/SENDA
• Paid time off in the workplace
• Network with the LTSN
• Lead officer in each RCN Region

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Implications for Learning Representative

• Concepts - medical or social model?
• Accommodating disabled RCN members in learning
  needs
• Disability Awareness training
• Positive about disabled people
• Reasonable adjustments - advocate and advise
• Advice training e.g. medication
• Understanding needs and behaviour related to the
  RCN members impairment

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Implications for Learning Representative

• Funding
• specialist support/technology
• staff development
• quality/policy issues
• examination and assessment
• identification of students
• practice risk

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Education in Health

• Lifelong learning
• Liberating the Talents
• Working Together Learning Together
• National Bureau for Students with disabilities
  (SKILL)

• Learning Teaching Support Network
• Learning Skills Council
• NHSU
• Union Learning Fund

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Further information

• http//www.drc-gb
• Education for all DRC Campaign
• http//www.drc-gb.org/drc/Campaigns/Page431.asp
• Schools Code- Published May 2002
• (also Post-16 Code)
• Special Educational Needs and Discrimination Act
  2001