A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: delivery plan

Introduction

'Glasgow Disability Alliance wholeheartedly welcomes the approach of the Scottish Government to planning policies and more importantly, delivery, which improves the lives of disabled people.

This Delivery Plan is a great starting point on which to build to ensure that services support disabled citizens to be in the driving seat of their own lives - something they cannot routinely take for granted due to disabling barriers.'

Tressa Burke
CEO Glasgow Disability Alliance

'The Scottish Government Disability Plan is much needed and the particular commitments around both establishing a strategy to tackle social isolation and loneliness and funding opportunities for disabled people to volunteer are backed by thousands: disabled people want to contribute and be part of our communities and yet we are not even able to be the main drivers of our own lives at times. We are frequently isolated and lonely with no great sense of meaning or purpose. I firmly believe that with the right support and connections, we can make our important contributions.'

Susan McGinley
Disabled person, GDA Drivers for Change

This Delivery Plan is part of our programme for a fairer Scotland. It has been shaped by the experiences of disabled people and the insights of disabled people's organisations. It has been informed by the evidence and consultation on the draft disability delivery plan and by the Fairer Scotland conversations. It is built around five longer-term ambitions and a set of ninety-three actions. These are specifically focused to secure the next step in transformational change that is required and can be taken over the lifetime of this Parliament.

The Delivery Plan sets out the Scottish Government's approach to policy for disabled people. It is based unequivocally on the social model of disability as opposed to the medical model, which lays the blame on the impairment, rather than on society's inability to provide for their needs, rights, and aspirations. It is also rooted firmly in the UNCRPD and in the aim of the independent living movement, which is that disabled people can live the life they choose, participating equally alongside other citizens in their families, communities, workplaces and wider society, with the support they need.

The Scottish Government also has a number of associated strategies related to specific populations e.g. the Keys to Life, Scotland's learning disability strategy, the Scottish Strategy for Autism and our forthcoming British Sign Language National Plan. Much related work is already underway or planned, for example the review of care charges, a new accessible travel framework and a new mental health strategy. All of these, together with the actions in the Fairer Scotland Action Plan, will improve the lives of disabled people in Scotland. These strategies are referred to in actions and also reflected in the section on work already underway. The Disability Delivery Plan, however, sets the overall direction of travel for the Scottish Government over the lifetime of this Parliament.

This Plan will drive transformational change to improve the lives of deaf and disabled people in Scotland. Working to meet our international obligations under the UNCRPD, it will ensure that we make progress towards the day when all disabled people are able and supported to live their lives with freedom, choice, control and dignity. Throughout the lifetime of this plan, we will ensure that we measure our progress in ways that ensure we are truly accountable to Scotland's disabled people.