The National Assembly for Wales will again be marking Disabled Access Day from 10-12 March.
To promote the Senedd as an accessible venue, the Assembly has invited service users from Sense Cymru, the National Autistic Society Cymru and deaf or hard of hearing groups in Rhondda and Pontyclun to undertake tours of the iconic building.
These tours are designed to promote the fact that the Assembly’s tour guides can provide tours with reasonable adjustments at any time.
Staff greeting visitors and conducting tours are trained in Disability Confidence. The Senedd is also wheelchair friendly and all signage is provided in braille.
The Assembly’s work has been recognised with an Action on Hearing Loss Louder than Words charter mark and Excellence Wales awards, and National Autistic Society Autism Friendly Award.
Among the accessible services the Assembly offers are:
- British Sign Language (BSL) and subtitles available for First Minister’s Questions on Senedd.tv and the Assembly’s YouTube channel;
- Loop systems available across our estate;
- A range of toilet facilities including a Changing Places facility, and a quiet room to enable people to de-stress;
- Autism champions across the National Assembly’s estate;
- Mandatory online equality training for all staff.
Deputy Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, Ann Jones AM, said:
“On behalf of the Presiding Officer and my Assembly colleagues I would like to welcome everyone to the Senedd as part of our Disabled Access Day celebrations.
“Ever since the Assembly was established in 1999 and the Senedd was opened in 2006, we have always wanted to make sure that the work that we do and the building in which we work are accessible to all people.
“As a parliament, we want to make sure that we can represent all of the people of Wales and that everyone has the opportunity to participate in Welsh democracy and to contribute to the Assembly’s work.”
More information about the facilities available can be found on the National Assembly’s accessibility page on its website, including a dedicated page for visitors on the autism spectrum.