Bridging the Disability Gap
The SHAC Disability Charter Scheme will allow housing associations to bridge a gaping chasm between landlord propaganda on equalities for disabled tenants and the lived experience of many tenants, staff and service users.
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Falling Short
Housing associations too often fall short on understanding, supporting, and providing services for tenants and residents with disabilities, including mental health conditions such as autism spectrum disorder, dyslexia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
Many hidden disabilities require landlords to make an extra effort to achieve parity of esteem and service provision. Too many do not. This occurs even when the landlords are specialist providers of care and support services. While the services themselves may implement a wide range of accessibility adjustments, there is a disconnect when it comes to corporate thinking towards their own staff, generic service provision, and complaints handling.
The Charter Scheme developed by the Social Housing Action Campaign (SHAC) provides insight and proposals which will help landlords improve conditions and support for all disabled people, including amongst their tenants, residents, service users and staff.
A Collaborative Approach
Improving disability policies and practices within housing associations will reduce the widespread stigma around disabilities, and improve treatment options through a better understanding of disabled peoples' needs.
The Charter encourages a collaborative approach to help improve partnership, engagement, and relations between landlords and disabled tenants and residents, ultimately improving quality of life and customer service experience.
Landlords will benefit through better compliance with housing policies, statutory guidance, and equality legislation, all of which will help staff as well as end users.
Housing workers can play an instrumental role in supporting the scheme by raising it within their teams and through their management chains.
To contact SHAC email shac.action@gmail.com.
