Research exploring ways to improve the Disability Confident Employer Scheme in Wales - Stakeholder suggestions

Whilst a theme that emerged from the data was participants reflecting on the current employer scheme and experiences of this, participants also reflected on how to improve the Disability Confident scheme in the future.

There was strong support to improve and strengthen the current scheme, to maximise engagement and make improvements to move the scheme away (particularly at Levels 1 and 2) from being seen as ‘a tick box exercise’.

The importance of disabled people’s lived experiences being at the centre of an enhanced scheme and ensuring a broad cultural change, was strongly reflected by participants.

So I think it's really important if a scheme is going to be reviewed, or a new scheme developed that people with lived experience from across different disabilities are involved in that, and they are really listened to. And what they're saying is heard. (DPO group participant)

It was discussed that additional resources are required to strengthen the scheme to address problems identified. Specific resources that were noted were increased staff capacity and funding. This was acknowledged by participants as an essential feature of any changes to ensure they were meaningful and sustained.

It was reflected by participants that regular monitoring of progress against a quality standard was needed across all levels of the scheme and would be a positive step forward.

What we need to do is give more value to Disability Confident and that it is measured, I think, if it was measured more and we had social value running alongside measuring you know of how effective this is as a tool. I think we'd see the cost benefits analysis of it. (Employers group participant)

Many participants reflected that there was a need for quality assurance and independent evaluation of the current scheme. It was suggested that people with lived experience could play a role in the future, given that they are the assumed beneficiaries.

The role of DPO’s was discussed and participants reflected they potentially could be involved at different stages of the accreditation process to provide independent scrutiny but highlighted a barrier to this.

I think DPO’s need to be involved as much as they can, really. But again, it is a funding issue we know that. (DPO group participant)

Participants from DPO’s reflected that one of the aims of the scheme should be to educate and work with employers to ensure they have a better understanding of the social model of disability and barriers faced by disabled people in employment.

Trade Unions and DPO’s reflected that they could play more of a role in the current and/or any future scheme, for example, facilitating an equalities staff network.

Participants identified opportunities for shared learning and collaboration to improve the current scheme. The need for diverse engagement of employers, trade unions and DPO’s was seen as a fundamental part for any improvements made to share learning and increase numbers of employers getting to Level 3. This would also potentially serve as an opportunity to increase aspiration for the scheme overall.

In the shorter term, while we're looking to develop, we should increase the number of leaders to create a forum of leaders that can share their practice, they can challenge each other, they can see how it's being done, and it also becomes aspirational for other organisations that want to be part of what they see to be the highest level of Disability Confident. So that it becomes more aspirational than just something that other people may choose to do. Perhaps that could involve DPO’s as well, and also obviously, trade unions. (Trade union group participant)

Some employers who had already reached Level 3 reflected that they would welcome future opportunities to learn and engage more collaboratively. The role of disability champions was specifically mentioned:

So, I was thinking of something like an advisory panel made up of the DPO’s but funded by Welsh government. That would then go out, not necessarily, all of them at the same time, but go out as a group and do these evaluations. Using the disability champions, and then having a small team that that you could discuss and then advise employers. And have a contact where if employees need advice, they can come to the group of people for help or support, or whatever they need. (IG group participant)

Another issue that was highlighted was the potential for trade unions to support with ‘collective bargaining’ to highlight issues amongst employers. Some trade unions had some success with broader campaigns around issues such as menopause, however it was noted some employers took this more seriously than others.

The use of incentives was discussed as something that could potentially encourage more employers to sign up and engage with the scheme.

I think incentives are great. And the project that I run, and you may remember, but we had European funding, and what we did was we paid the wages of the person that was going into employment and to be trained to a standard. So, when the employer took over the wages they were hitting the ground running with everything and that worked fantastically. It wasn't [just] the employer that got something out of it, because he [sic] got 10 weeks or 12 weeks, whatever it was. In the sense of like that individual, he [sic] didn't have to pay it but then he also gained by having the person already trained up to do the job once he then was taking them on as an employee. (IG group participant)

Some participants reflected that a fundamental principle should be to co-produce any improvements to the current scheme with stakeholders that include disabled people with lived experience.

One of the challenges identified was the need for additional support and government backing.

You almost need a government body behind it to give it the weight that it needs. But it also shouldn't be something that's forced on people as well. I do agree that the standardisation of the accreditation is really important to make it accessible to everybody. (Employers group participant)

One suggestion raised was the current scheme could remain at the UK level but there could be a devolved responsibility for implementation to ensure Welsh Government could be involved in the delivery in partnership with stakeholders locally with vested interests.

Consideration of the above stakeholder suggestions to make improvements was often discussed in parallel with the requirement of a broad cultural shift. It was reflected that there is a need for a ‘shared purpose’ between different stakeholders to ensure any scheme meaningfully impacts on disabled people’s lives.

I think it is an important thing to do, it’s just how we get it so it becomes a more of an embedded culture rather than something that's done as a silo element of it. (Employers group participant)

But yeah, it comes down to this money on both sides as well to be able to actually embed this properly and make it meaningful as well, and not just like you say, have it be a piece of paper that somebody can read and pick. (Employers group participant)