In this section we aim to share with you the work that is taking place in Guernsey to improve the lives of disabled people and to improve carer experiences.
Training and information
Disability Awareness Training
- The States of Guernsey has worked with disability organisation AccessAble to produce online training about disability awareness.
- The disability essentials course is a practical and engaging course which will give you the knowledge and skills to provide a great service to disabled people and their carers. It includes videos of the lived experience of those people with different disabilities.
- There are five modules.
- What do we mean by Disability?
- Disability Equality and the Law
- Types of impairments
- Providing a great service for everyone
- Language
- The whole course takes about 1 ½ hours, but modules can be done one at a time, depend on the time available.
- To create a training account follow the link
- To access the training when you have created the account follow the link
- Please contact the Disability Officer for more information or further assistance
The Disability and Inclusion Strategy
Disability Needs Surveys
- In 2011 two surveys were undertaken.
- The first survey looked at the number of people living with long-term health conditions or disabilities, as well as the number of carers.
- The second survey looked at the experiences of disabled people and people who care for someone with a disability.
- The surveys provided information which informed the Disability and Inclusion Strategy.
- You can see the 2 documents as they are downloaded on this page
- The Disability and Inclusion Strategy
- The Strategy was was agreed by the States of Deliberation in November 2013.
- It aims to improve the lives of disabled islanders.
- It focuses on the issues identified in the Disability needs surveys to ensure that people are treated fairly, to enable disabled Islanders and carers to take more control of their own lives by improving choice, opportunities and information.
- It recognises that the States plays an important role in providing services, including health, housing, education and benefits, for disabled people and their carers, as well as providing opportunities as the largest employer in the Islands.
- The complete document is available as a download on this page.
- Who is working on the Strategy?
- The Committee for Employment & Social Security are responsible for the Strategy.
- Different States Committees and other key stakeholders are working on a variety of projects which are part of the Strategy.
- A Project Board oversees all of the work within the Strategy.
- Highlight Reports are published every 12 weeks, following every Project Board meeting.
- They are available on this page.
The Disability and Inclusion Strategy Projects
- An update on progress towards these projects is given in the highlight reports. More information can be found by following the links.
- 1. Extending the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities to Guernsey to confirm the island's commitment to respect the rights of its disabled citizens.
- 2. Introducing legislation to protect disabled islanders and carers from discrimination.
- 3. Creating an Equality and Rights Organisation to promote the rights of disabled people and carers and other groups at risk of discrimination.
- 4. Improving the information available to disabled people and carers about support and services.
- 5. Commissioning an audit of the States' employment practices, buildings and services to ensure they meet the new legislation, new policies and plans.
- 6. Creating an Employment Trust to help disabled people to gain and maintain employment and providing information for businesses in preparation for the legislation
- 7. Developing frameworks for Autism, Learning Disability and Dementia that set out how people with these specific conditions are diagnosed and supported.
- 8. Introducing a Capacity Law to empower and protect people who may not be able to make decisions for themselves.
- 9. Developing safeguarding policies to protect vulnerable adults from abuse or neglect.
Highlight reports
- Highlight reports are produced every 12 weeks for the Programme Board meetings. They are then published so that the progress of the different workstreams can be reviewed. An easy read document is also produced.
- The latest report is available here. To view the previous reports follow the links at the bottom of the page.
Completed frameworks
- Autism Framework
- The Committee for Health & Social Care published the Autism Framework in 2016.
- For more information about the framework please follow this link.
- Dementia framework
- Committee for Health & Social Care (HSC) published a Dementia Framework in 2017. The framework discusses 6 areas where Guernsey has an opportunity to make positive changes in the years ahead, for people with dementia and their families. It views dementia as a hidden disability and a condition that people can continue to live well with if the right support is in place. For more information follow the link to
Dementia framework [2Mb]
Other plans and Strategies
Children and Young People's Plan
- The Children and Young People's Plan for 2016-2022 was debated and approved by the States in February 2016. For full details of the Children and Young People's Plan follow the link.
- The Plan is intended to be a 'living document' that is subject to an annual review. The latest plan was updated in 2019 and sets out the progress made since 2016. Follow the link 2019 review .
- The Plan is tailored to the needs of children and young people in Guernsey and Alderney's and also compliant with the European Convention on Human Rights.
- While prioritising 'children in need' the CYPP is aimed at ensuring that Guernsey and Alderney are the best places possible for children and young people to grow up
Emotional Well- being and Mental Health
- The Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy was approved by the States on 27 February 2013. It is a cross-departmental strategy, led by Health and Social Care (HSC) providing a framework within which all areas of the island community can begin to work together towards better mental wellbeing. For more information follow the link Mental health and wellbeing plan
Supported Living and Ageing Well (SLAWS)
- The Supported Living and Ageing Well Strategy (SLAWS) was agreed by the States in February 2016. The Strategy is intended to work towards Guernsey and Alderney having an adaptable and continuously improving care and support system that is fair, person-centred, enabling and sustainable.
- The Strategy is for all adults in Guernsey and Alderney, not only those who have current ongoing care and support needs but everyone who may need this support in future. For more information follow the link to Supported Living and Aging Well
Carers Action plan
- As part of the Supported Living and Ageing Well Strategy the States made a strategic commitment to 'recognise the value of informal carers and seek to ensure that they are supported'. Carers are people who provide unpaid support to their family members, neighbours or friends. Many people play important roles in supporting family members and friends.
- The States of Guernsey has developed a Carers' Action Plan which will outline the priority actions that need to be undertaken to support people in Guernsey and Alderney who support family members and friends. It was published on 30th April 2019. Follow the link for more information Carers action plan.
Carers Guernsey
- The Guernsey Community Foundation performed research into the support services currently in place for carers in Guernsey. They recommended that a group should be set up to to support local carers.
- Carers Guernsey was formed in 2018.
The States sign the Employers Disability Charter
- The Charter enables employers to provide tangible evidence that they are working towards taking positive action and developing initiatives that will enable more disabled people to access employment opportunities in Guernsey.
- Download the guide here [114kb] or visit Guernsey Employment Trust.
- The States of Guernsey signed up the Employers Disability Charter in March 2018.The Charter demonstrates the States commitment to being positive and proactive towards recruiting and retaining disabled people and people with health conditions.
- You can view the States of Guernsey Statement of Intent Disability charter here [235kb] or in the downloads section on this page.