- Conference
- 2024 Police, Probation and CAFCASS Conference
- Date
- 20 June 2024
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
There is no doubt that the workplace has progressed concerning employing staff with a disability, but there is still a lot of work required.
We need to ask employers to assess their workplaces regularly. They need to look at policies, access, reasonable adjustments and attitudes in the workplace as a part of the overall work of the organisation.
Some of the buildings in use are older, have we looked at them to check for access? Can we offer workspaces where required on the ground floor? Do all workplaces have facilities for disabled staff?
Are policies updated? Do we adjust to current legislation? Are we adhering to the social model of disability?
Perhaps the biggest challenge is in changing the attitude of employers, we need to employ staff with a disability with a positive attitude. What attributes and skills are they bringing to the organisation? What can the employer do to make sure these skills are fully utilised?
All too often when reasonable adjustments are required staff have a long wait for them to be put in place. Assistive technology needs to be part of the whole organisation, these adjustments seem to be put in place by department and it would be beneficial for these to be held centrally. Staff with hearing impairments can struggle with using TEAMS, if they don’t use British sign language it can be difficult to put a system in place which will allow lip reading, due to the security of police systems. This could be something which can be collaborated across departments and even police forces.
We should be encouraging a regular review of disability in employment and encouraging not only communication between departments but also between forces.
We are moving forward, but slowly and by requesting a review of policies and facilities we can ensure we are up to date and providing the best working environment for staff with a disability.
Conference calls on the SGE to request employers regularly review all disability policies and facilities.