Churches Struggle to Offer Compassion for the Disabled

A leading disability charity had warned that less than half of Britain’s churches will be ready for the deadline for implementing the new disability directive to provide suitable access for disabled worshippers.

The deadline of 1st October has been set for churches to have complied with the Disability Discrimination Act. The Act requires all public service providers to try to ensure that the “access, use and exit” would be the same for disabled worshippers as well as other worshippers.

‘Through the Roof’ charity helps to equip churches on meeting the Act’s requirements. However, they have expressed their grave concerns to the responses of the churches towards actually implementing the directive.

The director of Through the Roof, Paul Dicken said, “We expect less than half will be prepared for the implementation of the final part of the act. Many have been so overwhelmed with the challenge presented by flights of stairs or lack of space for wheelchair accessible toilets, that they have done nothing to improve access, even for people with sensory or learning disabilities, who require only minor changes.”

A major problem that has arisen is the lack of funds for the churches to carry out the major building works necessary, and this has even left some church leaders contemplating closing down their churches. Church leaders from smaller churches have been particularly anxious about the works which will include such things as the building of wheelchair ramps and lavatories for disabled people. The charity noted that they had received “dozens of calls” from church leaders who were expressing their concerns over complying with the directive’s requirements.

In a desperate measure, some churches have even considered closing down their ordinary toilets so that they can avoid any arguments about discriminating against disabled people due to no wheelchair access facilities.

Mr Dicken pointed out to the churches, however, that they were only being asked to make access improvements that should come at a relatively low cost and that steps taken only needed to be reasonable.

“No church will be forced to do something, which it cannot afford,” a Church of England spokesperson explained.

However, Dicken said that churches should go the “extra mile” to be “leaders in society, providing an accessible an inclusive welcome for disabled people.”

The technical director of ‘Torch Trust for the Blind’, Mike Townsend, who is completely blind himself, expressed his hope that the churches would take action in a pro-active and positive way.

“Statistics reveal that 15 out of every 100 people in the UK have a significant disability which affects their lives. Far from being a legal hurdle for churches, the new act offers us a fresh chance to reach the kinds of people Jesus loves.