Standards for Disability Information and Advice Provision in Scotland

Self-Assessment: Checklist Two - Developing Your Service to Ensure Accessibility

2.1  Premises  (only for organisations providing public access to their premises i.e. not helplines)

Do you have procedures to review the appropriateness of your premises regularly?

Do these include:

• a suitable location that it is relevant to the agency’s catchment area?
• accessibility for those with physical or sensory impairments or reading and communication difficulties?
• adequate resources such as confidential interview rooms?

Is this produced as an action plan or strategy paper?

Do your current premises have:

• adequate public reception and waiting room areas?
• private interviewing facilities that are sound-proofed?
• a private office for follow-up work?
• accessible toilet facilities?
• the means of keeping children accompanying their parents occupied, e.g. crèche facilities or toys?

2.2  Service Delivery

Do you regularly review the delivery of your service to ensure access and the effective use of resources?

Does this include consideration of delivering your service through:

• telephone/textphone helplines?
• email, fax and SMS enquiries?
• the internet?
• home visits?
• outreach premises?

2.3  Hours of Opening

Do you regularly review your hours of service to ensure that these meet the needs of your current and potential service users?

2.4  Service Promotion

Do you produce a marketing plan or promotional strategy as part of your service plan?

Do you have a separate budget head for all promotional work?

2.5  Alternative Formats

Are you able to provide information in a range of formats that are appropriate to the needs of disabled people?

Are service users aware how long they are likely to wait for information in alternative formats?

2.6  Interpretation

Do you have clear procedures for the use of interpreters to ensure that they accept and abide by the agency’s confidentiality policy?

Do you make information available in appropriate community languages?

2.7  Information for Children and Parents

Do you ensure that all information that affects children directly is provided in a format that adults and children can look at together and/or that children can read or listen to themselves?

2.8  Referral Arrangements and Relationships with other Providers

Do you maintain regular contact and liaison with other providers in your locality?

Have you established formal referral agreements with other agencies to ensure that service users receive a consistent and seamless service?

Do these formal referral agreements include:

• how the referral will be made, including that it is to a named individual and the date of any appointment?
• grounds for acceptance or rejection?
• the respective responsibilities of referrer and referee?
• any information the referring body can expect at the end of a particular case?
• the right of the individual to return to the original agency if they are not satisfied with the referral?

Go to the next page: Checklist Three

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