Equality Act seminars for learning and skills providers Tuesday, September 14, 2010 - 09:13

The Equality Act - coming into force in October 2010 and replacing the Disability Discrimination Act - creates a piece of anti-discrimination legislation across eight ‘protected characteristics', including disability. The Act brings in a number of new forms of protection for disabled people and strengthens the existing duty to make reasonable adjustments.

To help learning and skills providers working with disabled learners and carers understand the implications of the Act, NIACE and Skill are running joint briefing seminars - Disability and the Equality Act 2010 - in London and Leicester this month.

Yola Jacobsen, NIACE Programme Director, said:

"The seminars will give delegates the chance to discuss through case studies, ways in which provider policies and systems can avoid indirect discrimination and strengthen duties to make reasonable adjustments for disabled learners. Delegates will also be given help to meet the Ofsted grade in equality and diversity and to understand the Act in terms of positive action and positive discrimination."

"The seminars will be of particular interest to Adult and Community Education Services, Further Education Colleges, work-based learning and voluntary sector organisations that provide education and training."