Supporting disabled children, young people and their families: easy-read version

2. Disability and Equality

In planning the resource, we have used the Equality Act 2010's definition of disability – a physical or mental condition which has a serious and long-term impact on a person's ability to do ordinary day to day activities.

We have thought about the impact of past disability and ongoing medical conditions.

We have kept in mind that people are 'disabled' because some parts of society, like public transport, schools or services make it difficult for them to take part fully.

The Scottish Government has a duty to make equality a part of everything it does. We take into account things like age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, being a Gypsy-Traveller, pregnancy or maternity, race, sex, sexual orientation, religion and belief.

We need to learn more about how these things affect children and young people with disability, and keep this in mind when we make decisions. Different kinds of discrimination are part of many disabled people's lives.

What do I do if I am feeling discriminated against?

Disabled children, young people and their families should never experience discrimination. This is true when they use public services like claiming benefits or taking the bus, community life like visits to the shops or leisure activities, in school and at work.

In Scotland, there is an independent Equality and Advisory Support Service who give advice on any type of discrimination. More information can be found in the SAFETY AND JUSTICE chapter.

Tackling child poverty is very important to the Scottish Government. Aiming resources at children living in poverty should also help children and young people with disabilities.

To help tackle the link between disability and poverty, the resource aims to make families more aware of the support they can get to lower the cost of caring for a disabled child. It is hoped this will help families to move out of poverty.

Another important aspect of disability refers to Adverse Childhood Experiences ( ACEs). This means that stressful traumatic events in childhood can have an effect on normal brain development. This can cause problems with learning, behaviour and health later in life.

The latest Programme for Government also aims to make an action plan to stop or deal with ACEs across Scotland.

We need to hear more about the experiences of people living with disability who face more barriers because of poverty or bad childhood experiences.

With this consultation we want to get views and feedback from people affected so we can make a resource that gives them the support they need.