Department of Corrections

Introduction

The Department of Corrections is committed to equal opportunity in all its employment policies and procedures. The Disability Implementation Work Plan 2006-07 demonstrates this commitment and continues to develop and implement strategies that take into consideration significant aspects of the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

The Department of Corrections’ Strategic Business Plan 2003 - 08 identifies ‘diversity and opportunity’ as a key focus that enhances a positive workplace culture and interrelationships between staff and management. The Department aims to ‘progressively review all employment and staff support processes to ensure they are responsive to the needs of staff who have disabilities and in accordance with the Department’s health and safety in employment strategy’. These fundamental values underline the current positive direction of the Department, through the promotion and integration of equal opportunities for all staff.

The Department of Corrections Disability Strategy Implementation Work Plan 2006–07 has incorporated a number of new strategies that takes into consideration issues of significance identified in the New Zealand Disability Strategy.

New strategies include: an update of the Corrections website to improve accessibility to disabled people; the implementation of staff training that is in line with the Disability Perspective Tool Kit; continued assessment and improvement of Public Prison buildings, including the improvement of statutory and regulatory access requirements; and improved data collection processes recording the number of disabled people employed.

This document has been developed in consultation with the Office of Disability Issues, HR Managers and General Managers.

Level 1 Activities: Universal responsiveness to disability issues

Accessible government information		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Agency’s websites
	Meet e-government Web-Guidelines 2.1	Yes
	Tested for accessibility for disabled people		Yes
	Adapted to increase accessibility to disabled people		Yes
	Downloadable files available in HTML, not only PDF	Yes
Other publications and public information available in alternative formats			Yes
Agency makes available alternative forms of contact		Yes

* Accessible government buildings and sites	Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
** All agency’s buildings and sites meet statutory and regulatory access requirements (eg NZS 4121)	48%	56%
** Agency’s buildings and sites have Building Code compliance certification	95%	100%
Agency’s buildings and sites audited for accessibility by Barrier Free NZ Trust		Yes
* Agency’s buildings and sites accessible.
Frontline staff receive training in disability responsiveness		Yes
** Reception areas accessible	54%	64%
** Counters lowered for wheelchair users	10%	20%
*** Telephone staff familiar with using NZ Relay service1			Yes
** Other accommodations (signage, accessible lifts)	48%	56%

* Note: Refers to Public Prisons only
** Note: Denotes percentage increase
*** Note: Not planned 2006-07, but will be addressed when resources permit

Accessible government services	Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Service policies and procedures include reference to disability issues	Yes
Information / data on services provided to disabled people is recorded		Yes
* Service staff receive disability responsiveness training			Yes
** When contracting for new or up-graded IT applications and environments, contracts include a requirement to ensure accessibility by disabled users	Yes

* Note: Not planned 2006-07, but will be addressed when resources permit
** Note: Corrections do not have a specific clause in current contract, but is part of the requirement for ensuring the solutions of work in the Corrections environment

Responsive government employment practices		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Human Resource policies and procedures include EEO issues for disabled people		Yes
Recruitment and selection of vacancies responsive to disabled people (eg vacancies advertised to the widest possible audience, vacancies list alternative forms of contact – phone, fax, email, etc)		Yes
Human Resource staff familiar with EEO issues for disabled people (eg staff receive disability responsiveness training, staff familiar with the Disability Perspective Tool Kit2, etc)			Yes
Disabled staff are supported
	Individual assessments of workplace accommodations or support are provided (eg work station assessments)	Yes
	Accommodations provided to disabled staff (eg work station adaptations, special equipment, New Zealand Sign Language interpreters, etc are provided)	Yes
	Disabled staff provided with opportunities for career advancement	Yes
	* Agency supports a disabled staff network group			Yes
	Internal agency newsletters promote the positive presence of disabled staff people		Yes
	Other support provided to disabled staff (please list)			Yes

Information and data on disabled people is collected		Achieved / available	Planned this year	N/A
Information on agency’s responsiveness to disabled staff people
	Number of disabled people employed (we recommend you use the State Service Commission’s EEO disability information and definition of disability.)		Yes
	Data on disability related accommodations, adaptive equipment, etc, provided by your agency		Yes
	Number of disabled people employed under the State Service Commission’s ‘Mainstream programme’3.	Yes
Information on agency’s responsiveness to the disabled public
	Information and data on agency’s contact with the disabled public is recorded (eg consultation with disabled groups)	Yes
	Information / data on agency’s disabled client group recorded	Yes

Level 2 Activities: Disability perspective included in ordinary work

Disability responsiveness training and resources	Planned this year	N/A
* Disability responsiveness training offered to all staff		Yes
Promotion of the Disability Perspective Tool Kit4 within your agency (eg this website resource distributed to policy and strategic personnel, receiving training or advice on the use of this resource, etc)	Yes
Other (please indicate)		Yes

Disability perspective included in ordinary work		Planned this year	N/A
Key documents to incorporate a disability perspective
	Cabinet papers	Yes
	Policy and procedure papers	Yes
	Strategic documents (eg Statement of Intent, Managing for Outcomes and key strategies)	Yes
	Legislation	Yes
	Consultation with disabled people/groups	Yes
	Other (please indicate)		Yes

Implementing the NZ Disability Strategy beyond your agency	Planned this year	N/A
Agencies, Crown Entities, boards, reference groups, etc, that your agency is responsible for are encouraged to consider disabled people and disability issues		Yes
Other (please indicate)		Yes

Level 3 Activities: key Disability focused work your agency is leading

1. Development of Prisons Specific Design – Security Related Solutions for Accessibility

Description

Work with NZ Standards and Department of Building and Housing to develop specific prison and security related acceptable solutions for accessibility, fire safety and fire management.

Desired Outcome

To ensure optimal outcome for visitors, staff, prisoners and the operation without compromising safety and security

Outcome measures and timeframes

Inclusion of specific clauses relating to prisons within NZ Standards and NZ Building Code. Timeframe not established.

Links to Strategy objective and action

Not established.

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1. For information on NZ Relay service
2. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website
3. Information on the State Service Commission’s Mainstream Programme
4. The Disability Perspective Tool Kit is available on the Office for Disability Issues’ website