From 1 October, every council service, from a swimming pool to the local library, will have to consider whether their premises need improving to make them more accessible for disabled users. However, although these new duties under the Disability Discrimination Act will have a significant impact on local authorities, a recent Disability Rights Commission survey found that a third of councils did not know which services were accessible to disabled people or have a lead member for disability.
The Government's own research, Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People, found services for disabled children were still based on a "postcode lottery". It said mainstream services often treated disabled children as "add ons", making them feel like a burden.
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