Project on establishing guardianship/deputyship completed
People with disabilities can only participate in administrative proceedings if certain modifications are made or the necessary aids provided. One obstacle to participation is the halting flow of information between the authorities and people with disabilities.
Administrative proceedings are a challenge for people with disabilities. Without specific support or adaptations to their needs, they are unable to have a say in processes affecting them. The way an authority communicates is crucial to the implementation of participation rights in official proceedings, since everyone involved is reliant on having relevant information in order to contribute.
The way the authorities provide information still varies tremendously and depends heavily on the person concerned. This may mean that people involved in proceedings do not receive information and are therefore unable to adopt an informed position. In particular, the status of the discussion is not always clear to everyone taking part: people with disabilities and their family members may be unsure about what information is being collected or shared and for what purpose. It is also important to explain the roles of the people taking part – including family members – in a transparent and comprehensible fashion.
As yet, there are no mandatory standards governing the way discussions are conducted. There is also often a lack of strategies for making complex issues easier to understand. That requires an understanding of the need for simple language as well as trained specialist staff.