Improving the Life Chances of Disabled People is a 20 year vision that ‘by 2025, disabled people in Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality of life and will be respected and included as equal members of society’. The strategy for achieving this vision is based on removing barriers to inclusion, meeting individual needs and empowering people. It includes a package of measures agreed by government for:

• independent living and personalised services
• support for families with young disabled children
• transition into adulthood
• support and incentives for getting and staying in employment.

Specific recommendations on culture and sport include:

• ‘opportunities for disabled young people to improve their life chances should be provided through … accessible mainstream leisure and cultural activities and youth services’
• local authorities should work ‘proactively’ with a range of stakeholders, including the leisure industry, to increase opportunities for participation for disabled people within their area.

Other drivers for making cultural and sports provision more accessible include:

• early years and family support to enable children to participate in cultural and sports activity
• addressing access and transport to cultural and sports activities and facilities through independent living assessments.

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