Disability Confident was developed by employers and disabled people’s representatives to create a movement of change, encouraging employers to think differently about disability and take action to improve how they recruit, retain and develop disabled people.

The Disability Confident scheme was launched in November 2016 and supports the government’s commitment to having one million more disabled people in work by 2027.

Chesterfield Borough Council is part of the Disability Confident scheme and continuously looks for new techniques and best practice that can help us in making the most of the talents disabled people can bring to the workplace.

Through Disability Confident, thousands of employers are:

• challenging attitudes towards disability
• increasing understanding of disability
• removing barriers to disabled people and those with long-term health conditions
• ensuring that disabled people have the opportunities to fulfil their potential and realise their aspirations

Whether an employee has become disabled during their working life, or we are recruiting externally, being Disability Confident can help in positively changing attitudes, behaviours and cultures.

The council have agreed to the Disability Confident commitments:

• inclusive and accessible recruitment
• communicating vacancies
• offering an interview to disabled people
• providing reasonable adjustments
• supporting existing employees

As part of this commitment, the council guarantee to interview all applicants who identify themselves as having a disability and meet the essential criteria for the post.

Human Resources (HR) will advise recruiting managers if this applies to the post they are recruiting to. If the candidate is not shortlisted, HR will discuss this further with the recruiting manager.

A disabled person is defined as someone with a physical or mental impairment that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ effect on their ability to do normal daily activities (Equality Act 2010).