Know Your Rights: Disabled Access

Someone on your side

Information, advice and advocacy helpline for children and young people

I ddarllen yr erthygl hon yn Gymraeg, clicia yma

You and your friends have the right to enjoy all your rights without discrimination on any ground, including disability; to go places, meet and spend time with people; to play, leisure, recreation and participation in cultural life; if you have a disability, support to access these rights and enable you to participate in community life, with dignity. A disabled child has the right to expect the law and the government to ensure access to all their human rights on an equal basis with all other children.

UNCRC Articles 2, 15, 23

UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Articles 7, 30

In the UK, it is against the law to discriminate against a person in the provision of goods, facilities or services. Employers and others may be required to make ‘reasonable adjustments’. Unfortunately, the law does not yet go so far as to make it compulsory to have wheelchair access to all buildings. The Welsh Government has set standards under the Equality Act 2010 for all public bodies, aimed at ensuring that disabled people including wheelchair users can enjoy access to facilities and placed on an equal basis.