Attitudes towards people with disabilities
Attitudes towards people with disabilities can influence many aspects of their lives, including their self-esteem, how they are treated by wider society, and public policy and service provision. Negative attitudes can present a major barrier to inclusion of people with disabilities in Irish society.
The National Disability Authority works in partnership with other bodies to promote positive attitudes to people with disabilities, and to provide the evidence and information on which such efforts are built.
The National Disability Authority's on-line disability training provides information and guidance to raise awareness and promote better customer service for people with disabilities.
The NDA has conducted research on public attitudes to people with disabilities in 2001, 2006 and 2011.
In 2007/8 the National Disability Authority conducted a nationwide campaign to challenge public attitudes to mental health.
The NDA, in conjunction with the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, is working on the representation of people with disabilities in the broadcast media, building on learning from research undertaken jointly.