Disability Action Plan 2025-2030

20

Completed/ Complete for reporting period

87%

1

Ongoing/In Progress

4.3%

1

Not completed

4.3%

1

Not Due

4.3%

Total Actions 23

Percentage 100%

5. Continually improve the accessibility of our website and digital offerings, and strive for compliance with accessibility regulations.

Complete the website redevelopment project by 2028 taking into account potential accessibility barriers and creating a site which allows all users to perceive, understand, navigate, interact with and contribute to the site.

MO 1: Track and consider 80% of user-reported accessibility issues within a 3-month timeframe.

Development stage commenced in Autumn 2024. 

Complete the website redevelopment project by 2028.

Consideration of issues within 3 months of reporting.

Communications Office

Ongoing/ In progress

The new Assembly website will be delivered during the lifetime of this action plan. The development stage is ongoing.

In developing the new website, requirements on accessibility for public sector bodies will be complied with.

MO 1: New content on the website and on social media is checked for accessibility prior to publication on a continuing basis. During the reporting period there was an issue raised by a user that related to on-line engagement tools used by Members. Whilst outside the Communications Office remit, the Communications Office liaised with the Bill Office and provided accessibility tips and guidance for Members.

MO 2: Consider the top 5 most frequently accessed pages with accessibility barriers with a view to addressing the issues if possible.

Every six months.

MO 2: The Web Team regularly checked the most popular content on sites for accessibility and amended as appropriate.

MO 3: Conduct annual accessibility audits using tools like WebAIM WAVE to measure against WCAG 2.2 AA standards. Record and report any issues to the IS Office for development support.

Annually.

MO 3: Internal manual accessibility audits were carried out on the various Assembly websites by the Web Team. Improvements were made as appropriate and accessibility statements updated to reflect the changes.

MO 4: Update website accessibility statement annually based on audit results.

In line with the lifetime of the website redevelopment project.

MO 4: Accessibility Statements have been updated as appropriate as a result of the manual internal annual audits carried out by the Web Team.

MO 5: Establish the parameters for the formulation of a content strategy.

In line with the lifetime of the website redevelopment project.

MO 5: Will be taken forward as part of development of the new website.

MO 6: Produce a paper with recommendations for Heads of Business.

MO 6: Will be considered in line with the website redevelopment project timelines.

MO 7: Establish resource implications to deliver the content strategy recommendations.

MO 7: Resource implications will be considered as part of the recommendations paper (which will be produced in line with the website redevelopment project timelines).

6.Communicating the work of the Assembly.

The new Assembly website will be compliant with The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

MO 2: Manual accessibility website audit conducted.

Two yearly over the lifetime of the plan (2026, 2028 and 2030).

RaISe has responsibility for the analysis of survey responses.

Public Engagement to forward any issues raised to relevant business area.

Not Yet Due

7. Monitor feedback from the visitor experience in Parliament Buildings with a focus on customer service, public facilities and accessibility to Assembly business.

The Visitor Survey is mainstreamed across services which interface with the public in order to collect data to inform access and service provision.

MO 1: Visitor survey feedback considered and action taken as appropriate.

Every six months.

Not completed

Consideration is currently being given to development of the visitor survey and its content and focus. Implementation and visitor feedback will be reported on in the next biannual update.

8. Identify opportunities to promote positive attitudes of disability through images on the Assembly website, on social media and in Assembly publications. 

We will have a corporate approach to the use of staff and visitor images which promote positive attitudes towards disabled people.

MO 1: Review of images used in Assembly communications to ensure they are representative of people in the community and, where possible, of people engaging with, or participating in, Assembly Commission services, including those with a disability.

Ongoing over the lifetime of the Action Plan.

Communications Office.

Complete for Reporting Period.

9. Awareness days (including those related to particular disabilities) to be marked/celebrated by the Assembly Commission, including annual plan of engagement events.

To mark awareness days over the course of the action plan with the aim of raising awareness of particular disabilities as well as demonstrating how people can participate in the work of the Assembly. A targeted approach will be adopted to identify the most relevant awareness days.

MO 1: Awareness days will be delivered on an annual basis. 

Annually.

Public Engagement.

Complete for reporting period.

10. Continue to encourage SEN⁵ schools, and mainstream schools with SEN pupils, to take part in the education programmes.

Offer inclusive and bespoke activities suitable for pupils. 

MO 1: Increased number of SEN schools and pupils taking part in education programmes either through a visit to Parliament Buildings, a virtual session or an outreach session.

Over the lifetime of the plan

Education Service.

Develop more visual/sensory resources for children with special educational needs.

Positive feedback from teachers.

Complete for reporting period

11. Deliver accessible tours of Parliament Buildings.

 To provide people with additional needs the opportunity to take part in a tour of Parliament Buildings.

12. Maintain Autism Friendly Award.

To show our commitment to ensuring that Parliament Buildings is a welcoming place for autistic people and their families.

MO 1: Standards met as required.

Annually.

Facilities.

Complete for reporting period

13. Work with RNID and others to provide accessible services for service users who are deaf or with hearing loss. ‘Service users’ includes visitors, building users and staff.

To show commitment to improving access to Parliament Buildings for people with deafness, tinnitus and hearing loss.

MO 1: Annual review of disability access audit findings.

Annually.

Facilities.

Complete for reporting period

14. Maintain membership of the Disability Confident Scheme. Disability Confident is a government scheme that encourages employers to recruit, retain and develop disabled people.

To ensure that, as an employer, we continue to enable disabled people to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.  

MO 1: Membership of the Disability Confident Scheme is maintained.

2025

Human Resources Office.

Complete for reporting period

15. Maintain JAM (Just a Minute) Card standards.

To make Parliament Buildings a welcoming place for people with a learning difficulty, autism or a communication barrier.

MO 1: Renew JAM card license each year.

Over the lifetime of the plan

Learning and Development.

Complete for reporting period

MO 2: Ensure new employees complete the JAM card e-learning course.

Complete for reporting period

16. Continue to engage with our External Disability Advisory Group (EDAG). EDAG is made up of practitioners and representatives from the disability sector who assist with the development and implementation of the Disability Action Plan.

Engagement and participation of disabled people and their representative groups continues to inform the implementation of the Disability Action Plan.

MO 1: Full meeting of the Group is held once or twice a year (or as agreed by the Group) and separate meetings on particular initiatives/issues are held as required.

Meetings arranged as required throughout the lifetime of the Action Plan

Equality Unit.

Complete for reporting period

MO 2: Membership is reviewed every two years to ensure a full range of disability organisations are represented on the Group. 

Review of membership carried out every two years: by June 2027 and 30 June 2029.

Complete for reporting period

17. Continue to provide short-term supported placements for people with a disability under the Apprenticeship and Placement Framework.

To provide opportunities for people with a disability to develop their skills and confidence in the workplace and gain meaningful work experience.

MO 1: Further short-term supported placements are facilitated during the lifetime of the Plan.

First placement to be facilitated by 31 March 2026 and further placement by 31 March 2028.

Human Resources Office.

Complete for reporting period

18. Hold a Disability Parliament as part of a series of citizens parliaments.

To afford people with Disabilities the opportunity to have their voices heard on issues that are important to them.

MO 1: Annual Parliament for People with Disabilities is held.

Annually.

Public Engagement.

Complete for reporting Period

19. Young people with disabilities are represented on the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly.

To ensure the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly is representative of the youth population of Northern Ireland.

MO 1: Young people with disabilities are represented on the Northern Ireland Youth Assembly.

Throughout the lifetime of the DAP. Youth Assembly recruitment happens every 2 years (2025, 2027, and 2029).

Youth Assembly.

Complete for reporting Period

To ensure that the voices of young people with disabilities are heard in the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Complete for reporting period

20. Ensure staff are kept up to date on progress on new Disability Action Plan.

To raise staff awareness of the work the Assembly Commission is doing on disability and of wider disability issues.

MO 1: Once the Plan is approved, staff are kept informed on progress on the results of the consultation; where to find the final agreed Plan and what the Plan contains.

May 2025

Equality Unit.

Complete for reporting period

MO 2: Staff are notified by email of availability of six-monthly updates on the website.

Bi-annually

Complete for reporting period

MO 1: Following consultation with business areas, six-monthly updates are prepared for SMT and annual updates for the Assembly Commission.

Bi-annually

MO 2: Approved six-monthly updates are published on the Assembly website.

Bi-annually

Complete for reporting period

22. Report on progress yearly to the Equality Commission.

To ensure that we deliver on the targets in our plan and that we keep the Equality Commission informed of progress. 

MO 1: Following approval by SMT and the Assembly Commission, annual progress reports are prepared and submitted to the Equality Commission.

June each year (ECNI deadline for submission is 31 August each year).

Equality Unit.

Complete for reporting period

MO 2: Following a meeting with the Equality Commission to discuss annual report content, reports are published on the Assembly website.

October each year

Complete for reporting period

23. Carry out a five-year review of our Disability Action Plan.

To review our plan to make sure it is effective and achieve what it sets out to do. 

MO 1: Review of the Disability Action Plan is carried out, in consultation with business areas, and presented to SMT and the Assembly Commission.

2030

Equality Unit.

Not yet due

MO 2: Once approved, the review is published online.  Email is issued to staff and stakeholders to inform them the review is available. 

2030

Not yet due