• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • About DNS
  • Subscribe to DNS
  • Advertise with DNS
  • Support DNS
  • Contact DNS

Disability News Service

the country's only news agency specialising in disability issues

  • Home
  • Independent Living
    • Arts, Culture and Sport
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Employment
    • Housing
    • Transport
  • Activism & Campaigning
  • Benefits & Poverty
  • Politics
  • Human Rights
You are here: Home / News Archive / Welsh government’s independent living plans ‘could boost disability movement’

Welsh government’s independent living plans ‘could boost disability movement’

By guest on 3rd September 2012 Category: News Archive

Listen

New Welsh government plans to promote independent living could provide a significant boost to the disability movement in Wales, according to the country’s leading disabled people’s organisation (DPO).

Equalities minister Jane Hutt today (Thursday) launched a consultation on the Framework for Action on Independent Living for Disabled People.

The launch took place on the 40th anniversary of a letter appearing in the Guardian from the disabled activist Paul Hunt, which led to the founding of the Union of the Physically Impaired Against Segregation, and was a defining moment in the history of the UK disability movement.

Now Disability Wales (DW), which played a major part in the development of the new framework, is hoping it will lead to an expansion of the movement in Wales.

A DW independent living campaign led to its Manifesto for Independent Living in 2011, which identified six priorities: information, advice and advocacy; accessible housing; personalised support; person-centred technology; accessible transport; and access to the social, economic and cultural life of Wales.

Rhian Davies, DW’s chief executive, said they were pleased the government had used the manifesto – and these priorities – as the basis for its new framework, although she had not yet examined the document in detail.

Davies said: “It is the first over-arching strategy we have had in Wales which has looked at all disabled people as a whole, and it is very much based on the social model [of disability] and the UN Convention [on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities].”

But she said the “key challenge” was ensuring that the “cross-departmental approach based on equality and human rights” of the national strategy was reflected at local level, where most services for disabled people were delivered.

She said it was vital that local DPOs were able to influence the strategic equality plans of local public bodies and hold those organisations to account.

A key section of the document calls for more and stronger DPOs, and Davies said she hoped this would provide “a real opportunity for those to grow and develop in Wales”, where the disability movement had never flourished as it had in other parts of the UK.

The consultation launch took place at the DEWIS Centre for Independent Living (CIL) in Pontypridd, one of the few Welsh CILs.

Hutt, the Labour minister for finance, and Gwenda Thomas, the Labour deputy minister for children and social services, said that the impacts of the UK government’s welfare reform agenda on disabled people had “strengthened the case for this framework”.

Thomas said the framework was “a major cultural and policy shift in support of the social model of disability”, and that it recognised disabled people’s right “to self-determine their lives and increase their independence”.

20 September 2012

Share this post:

Share on X (Twitter)Share on FacebookShare on WhatsAppShare on RedditShare on LinkedIn
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Related

‘Muddled’ blue badge reforms ‘are to blame for renewal delays’
6th February 2015
UN debate will be reminder of true inclusive education
6th February 2015
IDS breaks pledge on PIP waiting-times, as tens of thousands still queue for months
30th January 2015

Primary Sidebar

On the left of the image are multiple heads of different colours - white, aqua, red, light brown, and dark green - all grouped together, then the words ‘Campaign for Disability Justice. Sign up to support. #OpportunitySecurityRespect’
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Access

Latest Stories

‘Disastrous’ cuts bill that leaves legacy of distrust and distress ‘must be dropped’

Four disabled Labour MPs stand up to government over cuts to disability benefits

Silence from MP sister of Rachel Reeves over suicide linked to PIP flaws, just as government was seeking cuts

Disabled people receiving care were ‘ignored by design’ during the pandemic, Covid inquiry hears

Disabled activists warn Labour MPs who vote for cuts: ‘The gloves will be off’

GB News says it has nothing to apologise for, after guest suggests starving disabled benefit claimants

SEND inspections find services in just one in four areas usually lead to ‘positive’ outcomes for disabled children

Disabled MP who quit government over benefit cuts tells DNS: ‘The consequences will be devastating’

Disabled peers plan to ‘amend, amend, amend, amend, amend’ after assisted dying bill reaches Lords

Minister finally admits that working-age benefits spending is stable, despite months of ‘spiralling’ claims

Advice and Information

Readspeaker
A photograph shows an audience raising their hands in a BSL sign. The words say: 'BSL Conference 2025. The future starts with us. Leeds 17-18 July. Be part of shaping the future of Deaf cultures and identities. Get 10% off with BDA10'

Footer

The International Standard Serial Number for Disability News Service is: ISSN 2398-8924

  • Accessibility Statement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site map
  • Bluesky
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Threads
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Disability News Service

Site development by A Bright Clear Web