un convention on disability rights

On the 30 March 2007 the UK became a signatory to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The stated purpose of the Convention is ‘to promote, protect and ensure the full and equal enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by all persons with disabilities, and to promote respect for their inherent dignity’ which is a lofty aim.

What does it mean for Schools?

Good question. Possibly not much more than what has already been enshrined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and the subsequent amendements to that Act, including the more recent Disability Discrimination Act 2005.

Article 24 is worth a read – the rights of the disabled for education and the right of the disabled pupil not to be excluded from education because of a disability and the obligation to make what the Convention calls ‘reasonable accommodation’ (ie., reasonable adjustments) to ensure inclusion.

Again, this was arguably achieved by the Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 which amended the 1995 DDA to ensure the prohibition against discrimination against disabled people was an obligation not just of employers and service providers, but also Schools and other educational providers.