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Supporting Disabilities

At the SNP we believe everyone has a part to play in building the Scotland we all aspire to. One in five of the population has some form of disability, whether it is immediately visible or not.

Morag Fulton
Morag Fulton

Morag is our Disability and Equalities Officer . Morag is restricted to a wheelchair for much of her time but doesn’t let that stop her, and she is one of the branch’s most active members.

Morag stood for election in the Stirling Council elections in 2017 and was narrowly beaten but in a landmark year of proving that having a disability need be no barrier she made her maiden speech at conference and was elected Chair of the National SNP Disabilities Group.

Disabled Members Drop in Sessions

Each month, we run a disabilities drop-in session and we invite all disabled members from the City of Stirling, and surrounding branches to come along and pop in for a chat about issues affecting you. It might be to get actual help with accessing benefits or changes to the welfare systems, discuss issues that affect you, or just to have a friendly chat with others who “get it”.
Events like this allow the SNP to formulate policy to help all those with disabilities, visible and invisible.

We meet at the Burgh Coffee House at 18:00 on the first Thursday of the month all year round.

Scottish Government Disabilities News

We will share any news in the Disabilities arena here.

Disabilities Adviser Appointed

On Thursday, it was announced that a disability adviser had been appointed to the Scottish Government’s expert panel on dealing with disposable items such as single-use cups and plastic straws. Kate Sang, Professor of Gender and Employment Studies and Disability Co-ordinator at Heriot Watt University, will advise the panel on equalities issues and lived experience, and on the potential implications for disabled people of the group’s proposals. The panel has been formed to consider environmental charging and other measures that could be introduced in Scotland to tackle our throwaway culture. Professor Sang will bring expertise in equalities issues and lived experience to help shape policy and provide advice on the implications for disabled people of the group’s proposals.

Commenting, Roseanna Cunningham said: “I would like to warmly welcome Professor Sang to the role. Her expertise will be vital in shaping our policy and creating environmentally-friendly ways to encourage long-term, sustainable changes in consumer and producer behaviour in Scotland. Professor Sang will advise the panel on issues that will or could have an impact on disabled people. One such issue is how we identify ways to reduce plastic waste such as single-use plastic straws, whilst ensuring that people who depend upon them are not disadvantaged. Professor Sang’s expertise and experience will be invaluable.”

Press Release

Scottish Government Consultations

We will try to keep this list regularly updated on all current Scottish Government Consultations in the Disabilities and Equalities space. If you think there is something we should be listing here that we have missed, drop the comms team a line, link on the About page.

  • Online Support For Eating Disorders

    Overview

    On Wednesday, the Minster for Mental Health, Maureen Watt launched a new online peer support tool that allows young people to pair with a trained volunteer who has recovered from an eating disorder (ED) such as anorexia and bulimia. This is alongside a new website, the CarED platform, that hosts video tutorials and links for parents and carers,
    and a database of services across the country.
    Launching the resources, Maureen Watt said: “On average, 149 weeks pass before those experiencing eating disorder symptoms seek help, a gap of almost three years. By offering support in a way that matches the digital lifestyles of today’s young people, we can increase the numbers who access treatment earlier and make a full and fast recovery.”

    Read more here

  • Future Proofing Social Security

    Overview

    Key benefits will be future-proofed to ensure they hold their value in real terms, under Scotland’s new social security system. Following earlier commitments to have annual rises in Disability and Employment-Injury Assistance, Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman has ensured those are enshrined in legislation by bringing forward amendments to the Social Security (Scotland) Bill and has supported extending the guarantee to Carers Assistance when the Scottish social security agency takes over delivery of Carer’s Allowance.
    Commenting, Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said: “The Social Security Bill is a landmark piece of legislation, which gives us the opportunity to deliver a social security system that treats people with dignity, fairness and respect.”

    Read more here

  • Discussion document to support further engagement on Safe and Effective Staffing in Health and Social Care

    Overview

    This paper is intended to enable further engagement on development of approaches to safe and effective staffing. It sets out refreshed proposals on planned legislation on safe and effective staffing (referred to in this document as the ‘Safe Staffing’ Bill, though the final title of the Bill, when it is introduced to the Parliament is still to be finalised), building on the responses to an initial consultation (April 2017) and more recent engagement with the health and social care sector.

    Read more here

  • A Connected Scotland: Tackling social isolation and loneliness and building stronger social connections

    Overview

    In the last Parliamentary term, the Scottish Government welcomed The Equal Opportunities Committee report on Social Isolation which was the first of its kind anywhere in the world. The committee found that social isolation and loneliness was a problem in Scotland, and recommended that the Government developed a national strategy to tackle it. This consultation is an important part of the process.

    Social Isolation and loneliness is an issue that can affect anyone at any age or stage of their lives. Feelings of loneliness have been demonstrated to have wide ranging consequences for those effected. and has been shown to lead to depression across all ages, as well as cognitive decline and dementia in older people. There is also the potential for serious physical health implications which have been compared to those of obesity or smoking.

    We want a Scotland where individuals and communities are more connected and everyone has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships regardless of age, status, circumstances or identity. We see the role of communities as vital in achieving this goal, and have already began to empower them to make decisions that help them address their unique priorities. Because communities are so central to tackling this problem, it is important that the people who live in them get to have their say.

    Read more here

  • Adults with Incapacity Reform

    Overview

    This consultation seeks views on proposals for reform to the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 (AWI).

    In 2000, when the AWI act came into force, it was regarded as ground-breaking legislation, essentially a world leader in capacity legislation. For the first time, Scotland had a comprehensive regime to protect the welfare and financial rights of persons lacking in capacity.

    International human rights law in this field has developed further since then and we need to ensure that Scotland’s law remains fully fit for purpose.

    The proposals relate to the following:

    • Graded Guardianships
    • Change of forum for Adults with Incapacity (AWI) cases
    • Creation of supported decision maker role and a supported decision making scheme
    • Clarification of use of powers of attorney in deprivation of liberty cases
    • Creation of short term ‘placement order’
    • Clarification of the interaction between aspects of the AWI legislation and Adult Support and Protection legislation.

    Read more here