Scope's new strategy - Everyday Equality

Leading disabled people’s charity, Scope, have published their new strategy for the next five years. “Everyday Equality – Scope’s Strategy 2017- 2022” sets out the charity’s vision for a future in which the UK’s 13 million disabled people can lead fulfilling lives, have access to the same opportunities as everyone else and not be limited by outdated attitudes, policies and practices. 

The strategic plan recognises that in order to be a better driver of the changes it wants to bring about, Scope must also change. The charity will therefore restructure to narrow its focus in a way that will have the greatest impact on the lives of the disabled people it represents. Regulated and day services which can be provided elsewhere will be transferred to other experienced providers. Meanwhile, Scope will concentrate its resources on specific targets to achieve social change in the areas where its clients have highlighted the greatest need.

In recent years, Scope has been successful in improving attitudes towards disability and raising awareness of the challenges that disabled people face. The charity was influential in gaining the government’s commitment to reduce the disability employment gap and in campaigning for the Care Act 2014 which provides the legal right to a personal budget. Scope has worked with retailers, providers of transport and telecoms to help them improve products and services for disabled consumers. Throughout, Scope has continued to provide invaluable, enabling information, advice and support to more than 250,000 disabled people and their families each year.

Scope’s new focus and five year strategy has been driven by the findings of their research which highlights many of the ways in which life is unnecessarily hard for people with disabilities. Isolation and segregation are both features of their lives, as disabled children are less likely to mix with children who are not disabled, and a third of adults are believed to avoid talking to disabled people for fear of saying the wrong thing. There remains a stigma attached to disability which can lead people to disguise their condition. Increased costs of disabled life, lack of home support and proportionally greater unemployment prevents disabled people from earning money, living independently and keeping their families out of poverty.

Scope aims to effect change in these areas in a number of ways:

• by supporting disabled people to get the best start in life, live the life they choose and be financially secure
• by harnessing the power of digital technology to improve lives and reach more disabled people enabling them to be informed, connected and in control
• by challenging government, business and public attitudes
• by influencing decision makers to change laws, policies and practices
• by gathering robust evidence which tells the story of how life really is for disabled people.

Boyes Turner recognise the valuable work that Scope has carried out in supporting disabled people since the charity’s foundation in 1952. We are excited by Scope’s vision for change for the next five years and are proud to be recommended by Scope where our services can be of help to their clients.

Our medical negligence and personal injury lawyers have over 20 years’ experience of handling medical negligence and personal injury claims of maximum severity. We are experts in achieving high value compensation awards for people who have suffered disability as a result of negligent care.

As soon as liability for an injury is proven we obtain early interim payments so that our clients can pay for care and respite, adapted accommodation, access early rehabilitation, specialist equipment, assistive technology, or prostheses, whilst the full extent of their ongoing claim is valued.

Our special educational needs lawyers can help secure the right school placement for the disabled child and our deputyship team work with case managers to relieve the administration and paperwork associated with disabled life, such as managing carers’ recruitment and employment.

Settlement awards can be structured to provide a mix of lump sum and periodical payments, providing the flexibility of a capital sum alongside the security of regular payments that will continue for the rest of the client’s life. Our clients benefit from improved mobility, communication and accessibility in a way that increases opportunity to participate in family life, school, work and sport.