NEU Cymru, Wales’s largest education union, is concerned that disabled staff continue to face systemic barriers and discrimination across the education sector in Wales with mental health conditions, neurodivergence, and invisible disabilities often being misunderstood or dismissed, exacerbating exclusion.
NEU Cymru is calling on the Welsh government to strengthen accountability measures for disability discrimination in education settings and ensure enforcement of existing legal duties and providemandatory disability equality training for all school and college leaders in Wales, with a particular focus on legal duties around reasonable adjustments.
Nicola Fitzpatrick, Wales Secretary of the National Education Union Cymru, said:
“The Equality Act 2010 places a legal duty on employers and institutions to make reasonable adjustments, yet many disabled workers report inadequate support, inaccessible workplaces, and negative attitudes from colleagues and management.
“Some school and college leaders continue to refuse to acknowledge or implement their responsibility to provide reasonable adjustments, with many disabled professionals leaving the sector due to lack of support.
“Disability equality is essential, and education settings should lead by example in creating inclusive environments where disabled staff, and students, are empowered and supported.”
The text of the motion to conference on this issue was as follows:
Motion 15. Tackling Disability Discrimination in Education
Conference Cymru notes that:
1. Disabled staff and students continue to face systemic barriers and discrimination across the education sector in Wales.
2. The Equality Act 2010 places a legal duty on employers and institutions to make reasonable adjustments, yet many disabled workers report inadequate support, inaccessible workplaces, and negative attitudes from colleagues and management.
3. Some school and college leaders continue to refuse to acknowledge or implement their responsibility to provide reasonable adjustments, often leaving disabled staff in distress or forced out of the profession.
4. Mental health conditions, neurodivergence, and invisible disabilities are often misunderstood or dismissed, exacerbating exclusion.
5. There remains a significant disability employment gap within the education workforce, with many disabled professionals leaving the sector due to lack of support.
6. Disabled students face additional obstacles to academic success, including lack of tailored provision, inaccessible buildings, and insufficient training for staff.
7. The NEU has developed a Disability Equality Toolkit to support reps and leaders in building inclusive environments and challenging discrimination.
Conference Cymru believes that:
i. Disability equality is a trade union issue and a matter of social justice.
ii. The lived experience of disabled members must be central to shaping our union’s policies and campaigns.
iii. Education settings should lead by example in creating inclusive environments where disabled staff and students are empowered and supported.
iv. The social model of disability which recognises that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairments should underpin all union policy, employer practices, and government approaches to inclusion.
Conference Cymru instructs NEU Cymru via the executive to:
a. Launch a campaign in Wales on disability rights in education, focusing on workplace adjustments, awareness training, and ending stigma.
b. Commission research into the experiences of disabled education staff in Wales, with clear recommendations for employers and the Welsh government.
c. Lobby for mandatory disability equality training for all school and college leaders in Wales, with a particular focus on legal duties around reasonable adjustments.
d. Challenge school and college leaders who fail to uphold their duties under the Equality Act, and support members in securing the adjustments they are entitled to.
e. Work with disabled members to develop a model reasonable adjustments policy for adoption in all educational institutions.
f. Promote the establishment of a Welsh Disabled Members Networks in every district and ensure representation on all relevant committees.
g. Call on the Welsh government to strengthen accountability measures for disability discrimination in education settings and ensure enforcement of existing legal duties.
h. Promote the adoption of the NEU Disability Equality Toolkit and the model policy in all schools and colleges, and support reps to use it in organising for inclusive practice.
i. Ensure all union communications, events and resources reflect and promote the social model of disability.
j. Encourage disabled members to self-identify via the NEU website so the union can better represent, support, and connect disabled members across Cymru and nationally.