{"id":2558,"date":"2019-01-06T12:49:14","date_gmt":"2019-01-06T10:49:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/cgi-bin\/weblog_basic\/?p=2558"},"modified":"2019-01-06T12:49:14","modified_gmt":"2019-01-06T10:49:14","slug":"disability-inclusion-conservative-policy-forum-submission-bcip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/?p=2558","title":{"rendered":"Disability & Inclusion – Conservative Policy Forum Submission (BCiP)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Name of Constituency:<\/td>\nConservatives Abroad<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Name of CPF Group:<\/td>\nBritish Conservatives in Paris (BCiP)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Name of CPF Coordinator:<\/td>\nPaul Thomson<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Email address:<\/td>\nPaul.thomson@saint-gobain.com<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Number of attendees:<\/td>\nAged <25<\/td>\n25-39<\/td>\n40-65<\/td>\n>65<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Members:<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1<\/td>\n3 (+ 1 who sent in comments)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Non-members:<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/td>\n1 (+ 1 who sent in comments)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Date of meeting:<\/strong><\/td>\n18th<\/sup> December 2018<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
If you have a Conservative MP, please tick this box to confirm that you have sent a copy of this response to your MP:\u00a0 <\/em><\/td>\n\u2610<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Please indicate whether you used the accompanying video<\/u> and powerpoint presentation<\/u> and, if so, how useful you found them or in what ways you might suggest they could have been improved:<\/em><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
<\/td>\nVideo<\/td>\nPowerpoint<\/td>\nFeedback:<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
We used it<\/td>\n\u2610<\/td>\n\u2610<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
We did not use it<\/td>\nX<\/td>\nX<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Housing<\/strong>: How might we better build homes and buildings that everyone can access and use, so as to build a society in which all can participate fully?\u00a0 –\u00a0 (i) For both social and private housing projects a minimum percentage for disabilities-friendly units should be imposed by law.\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) Already used measures for assisting the disabled should be expanded as much as reasonably possible eg (a) automatic\/push buttons doors, (b) installation of escalators or lifts, (c) providing sufficiently wide corridors, WC\u2019s etc so that those in wheelchairs or otherwise encumbered (eg with crutches) can nevertheless move about.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) Explore the use of robots to facilitate life for the disabled mainly at home but also in the workplace & in public spaces.\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) The potential for public private partnerships should be explored and (with suitable safeguards) realised.\u00a0 (a) There have been successful examples in the UK eg Civitas.\u00a0 (b) In France the housing sector for elderly people not able to look after themselves has been usefully expanded by recourse to privately funded entities working within the framework of public standards (including enforcement mechanisms).\u00a0 (c) The trend toward increasing focus by (large) private companies on \u201ccorporate social responsibility\u201d could no doubt be tapped by encouraging companies to contribute to more disabled-friendly buildings (special financial incentives?\u00a0 Bestowing of a flattering public label expressing recognition of \u201cgood works\u201d?).\u00a0 (d) Resort to specialised services companies may also allow innovative solutions to particular needs to be achieved.\u00a0 In France this is a sector \u2013 in particular in relation to services provided in a hospital setting \u2013 which is undergoing a spectacular degree of development, notably through services accessible online but allowing tailoring of what is actually carried out to meet users\u2019 specific needs\/wishes.\u00a0\u00a0 (v) For those already housed but having developed a disability post-moving in the provision of financial support for making necessary adjustments to the home environment \u2013 may result in the person being able to continue to carry on a relatively normal existence in society where, without such support, he\/she would not be able to do so (or not without being a greater burden on public services in other ways).<\/p>\n

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2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Transport<\/strong>: How might we better adapt our transport systems so as to offer people with disabilities the same access to transport as everyone else?\u00a0 –\u00a0 (i) Expand use of special markers to guide the disabled.\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) Avoid steps in trains & buses.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) Encourage the provision of services in trains (insofar as not already available) to alleviate the difficulties of those with mobility problems.\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) So far as reasonably possible provide lifts & escalators in train & bus stations – & indicate on corresponding maps which stations provide ease of access for those with mobility limitations.\u00a0\u00a0 (v) More broadly:\u00a0 include in the government\u2019s \u201cTransport Strategy\u201d regulations for disabled passengers to facilitate access to & egress from taxis, buses, trams, trains & air transport systems.\u00a0\u00a0 (vi) Take measures to avoid blockages on pavements (eg rubbish bins) which can create major problems for those moving about by wheel chair (eg if the pavement is not wide enough to avoid the obstacles without going onto the roadway).\u00a0 Perhaps introduce fines to discourage a-social behaviour in this area?\u00a0\u00a0 (vii) Ensure ongoing recognition of disability badges issued by other EU member states \u2013 even after Brexit & even if no specific agreement on reciprocity on the subject is achieved between the UK & EU27 or other member states individually.<\/p>\n

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3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Health<\/strong>: How might we more effectively reduce the health gap experienced by people with a learning disability, mental health conditions or autism, so as to help everyone to live full, healthy and independent lives?\u00a0 –\u00a0 (i) Supply training programmes to favour the employability of the disabled.\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) Provide\/facilitate regular medical and\/or psychological surveillance of those in need in order to avoid a gradual (or abrupt) disengagement from society.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) Foster a culture of respect for those with disabilities \u2013 underlining the shared humanity of us all; and the importance to all of us of our vital needs being given due consideration by society.\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) Expand the Health Charter to include health care providers to those with learning disabilities, mental health conditions or autism.<\/p>\n

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4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Employment<\/strong>: How might we work more effectively with employers and people with health conditions so as to help as many as possible to get into and stay in employment?\u00a0 –\u00a0 (i) Require employers with above a given threshold of employees to employ a minimum percentage of disabled persons or to contribute to one of a designated set of programmes favouring the inclusion in the work force of the disabled.\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) Grant financial support to employers (where appropriate) to assist in the recruiting & training & retention of disabled persons.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) Develop sophisticated but pedagogically effective on-line & obligatory training models for (a) HR personnel, (b) non-disabled (future) fellow employees & (c) the disabled \u2013 to provide a guide to the integration of the disabled in the work place:\u00a0 akin to what is presently done in the field of compliance in large organisations.\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) Determine with employers the special needs of specific groups eg (a) ex-servicemen (cf PTSD), (b) ex-prisoners etc.<\/p>\n

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5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Participation in Society<\/strong>: How might we better support candidates with disabilities to stand for public office, so that those elected better reflect the diversity of society?\u00a0 –\u00a0 (i) Supply public assistance eg for transport for candidates with disabilities (ie so it would not have to come out of the campaign budget).\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) Create a very low minimum required number of representatives of disabled persons \u2013 to habituate the general public to the idea that being handicapped is not necessarily incompatible with assuming public responsibilities.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) Avoid too \u201cmacho\u201d a political culture \u2013 though this is not intended to suggest that robust debate & rhetoric should be discouraged.\u00a0 Gestures suggesting physical contact should be proscribed (if this is not already the case).\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) Opinion \u201celevation\u201d campaigns could be carried out to promote the idea that the public realm is one in which, to be sure there is a healthy competition for voter support \u2013 but which also should by definition be open to all:\u00a0 we should all look at our fellow members of the body politic & of society with a heightened sensitivity for our common humanity & our shared interest in making work the society & institutions of the UK.\u00a0\u00a0 (v) Those interested in politics & possibly standing for office should be encouraged to join the Conservative Parties (or even other parties if they must!) & should be given canvassing support initially at the local council level & then at the national level \u2013 in appropriate cases, but these should be sought out \u2013 to achieve a demonstration that persons with handicaps can contribute to society also in politics (cf eg Robert Halpen MP; or indeed, to look abroad, Wolfgang Sch\u00e4uble \u2013 longtime Finance Minister for Germany & today President of Germany\u2019s lower chamber of parliament (Bundestag) & one of the most senior & most highly respected politicians in the land \u2013 notwithstanding being confined to wheelchair since the 1990s.<\/p>\n

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6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Culture Change<\/strong>: How might we all deliver further positive change for people with disabilities, so that society does not miss out on the contribution of any person?\u00a0 –\u00a0 (i) Role models in public media (news\/weather presenter) can be helpful:\u00a0 there have been positive examples in the British media including the BBC.\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) See \u00a7 5(iv) above.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) Honouring the disabled in a convincing\/effective way ie designed to attract public attention & sympathy is worthwhile:\u00a0 eg the Invictus Games.\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) As a complement to \u00a7 (iii):\u00a0 avoid going \u201cover the top\u201d ie making exaggerated or non-credible affirmations\/claims.\u00a0\u00a0 (v) The Transforming Care programme at local community level & aimed at improving health outcomes and quality of life for those with a learning disability and\/or autism could be promoted by:\u00a0 (a) giving it more exposure in the media, (b) being expanded, (c) organising the sharing of experiences among\/across local communities & (d) supporting the police in their dealings with those presenting \u201cchallenging behaviour\u201d.<\/p>\n

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7. Is there any other question you think should have been asked or observation you would like to make?\u00a0<\/strong> –\u00a0 (i) The Government (& the Conservative Party) should communicate much more about all that has been done in this area \u2013 which is absolutely considerable (cf Brief).\u00a0 It is wrong that we should be perceived as unfeeling etc when on the contrary so much has been undertaken \u2013 in a serious, hands-on, long-term based fashion.\u00a0 This represents a failure of communication, but also \u2013 and let us be positive \u2013 an opportunity to better inform the people of the UK & give them a fairer, and more uplifting, view of what the Conservative Party is.\u00a0\u00a0 (ii) As a corollary to the foregoing:\u00a0 PR disasters such as the one deriving from the so-called \u201cdementia tax\u201d are best avoided.\u00a0\u00a0 (iii) The goal in the latest manifesto of getting one million more people with disabilities into employment (an increase of almost 30%) should not be kept under a barrel \u2013 and its greater social significance, namely of allowing all those people to be much more fully a part of society, should be clearly spelled out for the general public.\u00a0\u00a0 (iv) Special educational needs are a related topic.\u00a0 Excellent results have been achieved in the education of children with Asperser\u2019s syndrome over recent decades \u2013 allowing those concerned to limit considerable suffering & also to contribute in a material way to society (through the exceptional skills of the persons suffering from the same).\u00a0 However, the provision of specialist help is considered by one of our participants as patchy \u2013 with greater concentration on this area being called for.<\/p>\n

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FEEDBACK ON PAPER<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What did you find useful?\u00a0 –\u00a0 The paper as a whole was useful & well done.\u00a0 Congratulations!<\/p>\n

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What did you not find helpful?\u00a0 –\u00a0 Nothing<\/p>\n

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Do you have any suggestions for how we might improve future briefings?\u00a0 –\u00a0 Not at this stage<\/p>\n

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Thank You.\u00a0 Please return to: CPF.Papers@conservatives.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Name of Constituency: Conservatives Abroad Name of CPF Group: British Conservatives in Paris (BCiP) Name of CPF Coordinator: Paul Thomson Email address: Paul.thomson@saint-gobain.com Number of attendees: Aged <25 25-39 40-65 >65 Members: 1 3 (+ 1 who sent in comments) Non-members: 1 (+ 1 who sent in comments) Date of meeting: 18th December 2018 If […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[404,1],"tags":[171,368,405],"class_list":["post-2558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-disability-inclusion-cpf-response","category-welcome","tag-conservative-party","tag-conservative-policy-forum","tag-disability-inclusion"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2558"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2558\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2565,"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2558\/revisions\/2565"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conservatives-paris.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}