Promoting Disability Equality in Ireland
The Role of DESSA – the Disability Equality
Specialist Support Agency
Presentation to the FRC National ForumTuesday 10th March 2009
Social Model of Disability
Restrictions imposed on disabled people are not a natural or inevitable consequence of their impairment but are a product of a social environment which fails to take into account certain people.
Goal
To change society so that disabled people can participate on an equal basis with everyone else
Delivery of strategic supports to Family Resource Centres
FRCs identify actions to include all members of FRCs identify actions to include all members of their communitiestheir communities
Challenge of InclusionChallenge of Inclusion
Premises inaccessiblePremises inaccessible Don’t know any disabled peopleDon’t know any disabled people Not our responsibility – taken care of Not our responsibility – taken care of
elsewhereelsewhere Don’t know howDon’t know how Never been asked/never considered itNever been asked/never considered it Fear of offending/doing the wrong thingFear of offending/doing the wrong thing
DESSA WorkDESSA Work
1. Capacity Building
2. Networking
3. Policy Development
Mission
DESSA will pursue the active involvement and full participation of disabled people in society by delivering strategic supports to Community Development Organisations
Community Inclusion Initiative
Research & Publications
Community Advocacy
Steps to Participation
Childcare Inclusion
Programme
Partnership Work
Training Programme
Strategies
Steps to Mainstream Participation
A series of programmes and supports designed to empower disabled people and community development practitioners with knowledge and capacity to ensure the active participation of disabled people within the community
Community Advocacy
Use the FRC model as a means of providing representative advocacy services to disabled people and their families
Disabled people will have access to a professional and effective advocacy service within their local community
Community Inclusion InitiativeCommunity Inclusion Initiative
The Community Inclusion Initiative will bring The Community Inclusion Initiative will bring together FRCs and other stakeholders in together FRCs and other stakeholders in the West Cork / South Kerry region to the West Cork / South Kerry region to develop a coherent strategic approach to develop a coherent strategic approach to the inclusion of families experiencing the inclusion of families experiencing disabilitydisability
Community Inclusion InitiativeCommunity Inclusion Initiative
A model of good practice for the inclusion of A model of good practice for the inclusion of disabled children within community based disabled children within community based childcare and play settings which childcare and play settings which contributes to the overall mainstreaming of contributes to the overall mainstreaming of disabled children within their communities disabled children within their communities
Establishment of a peer support structure for Establishment of a peer support structure for parents of disabled childrenparents of disabled children
Project BackgroundProject BackgroundJune 2007
Meeting with the Caha Centre and local parents
Family Support & Inclusion Network
2006 – 2007DESSA Childcare Inclusion Programme
92 childcare and play workers trained in Inclusive Provision
Manual of Best Practice developed
Framework for accredited Early Years Training
What we hope to achieve?What we hope to achieve?
Awareness of InclusionAwareness of Inclusion Provision of support and training enabling Provision of support and training enabling
inclusioninclusion Engagement with parentsEngagement with parents Build ways and means for communities to Build ways and means for communities to
meet disabled children and their familiesmeet disabled children and their families