Meeting Disabled People

Do not be anxious about making a mistake when meeting and communicating with a disabled person. Your awareness that they are entitled to the dignity, consideration, respect and rights you expect for yourself is the most important thing.

1. Focus on the person, not the impairment.
2. It is quite acceptable to ask a disabled person if they require assistance, but wait until your offer has been accepted. Always ask the person how they would like you to assist, rather than making assumptions.
3. Never talk to a disabled person through a companion or personal assistant. Make eye contact in the same way as you would with anyone else.
4. Common expressions such as 'see you later' or 'have you heard about?' are acceptable to partially sighted or hard of hearing people and will generally not cause offence.
5. Remember that some people have 'hidden' conditions such as diabetes or epilepsy.
6. Avoid assumptions about an individual's ability to perform certain tasks. Disabled people often have individual strategies with or without technical aids or personal support. Remember that two people with the same impairment will have different requirements