EnvironmentalControls-DisabilityAction.docVIP

Environmental Controls Scoping Paper December 2013 Nicola Meegan Disability Action Portside Business Park 189 Airport Road West Belfast BT3 9ED Tel: 028 90 297880 Fax: 028 90 297881 Textphone: 028 90 297882 Website: /housing CONTENTS PAGE 1 Background to the DHDP 3 2 Why Review Environmental Controls? 3 3 Key Findings Recommendations 5 3.1 The Questionnaire findings 5 The Disability Housing Design Panel (DHDP) 12 Key 8 Findings 3.2.1 DHDP 1 Findings (people with disabilities) 8 3.2.2 DHDP 2 Findings (Practitioners and people with disabilities) 9 3.3 The Need for a Review of Environmental Controls 12 DHDP Products to be considered 13 4 Key Recommendations 14 5 Conclusion 15 6 Appendices 16 1 BACKGROUND TO THE DHDP The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) recognises the need for a user centered approach in designing housing policy and in the assessment of products and housing design. The NIHE working with Disability Action has set up two user led groups the Disability Forum and the Disability Housing Design Panel (DHDP). The DHDP is an ad hoc group that gathers information on a range of products and housing design standards for people with disabilities. The Disability Housing Design Panel is made up of representatives from the Disability Forum, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Occupational Therapists, Manufacturers, Suppliers and Disabled People. It is a user led group and was established following the successful piloting of a Products Working Group. The aim of this report is to provide background for the need of a review of Environmental Controls and to present a summary of the findings from the Disability Housing Design Panel (DHDP) Environmental Controls research(Questionnaires/Meetings) held in October 2013. This report will be submitted to key representatives from within the Department for Social Development (