Accessible legal information for people with learning disabilities

This initiative stems from the COALITION (Co-Producing Accessible Legal Information) project, which focused on identifying the barriers that individuals with learning disabilities encounter when seeking legal information and advice.

Professor Rosie Harding, a legal capacity expert at the University of Birmingham and leader of the research team, emphasised the pressing need for accessible legal resources. “There's this massive unmet legal need in terms of translating quite complex legal ideas into accessible formats,” she stated. This accessibility is crucial for helping individuals with learning disabilities understand their rights and access legal services.

The necessity for these services is significant, as people with learning disabilities often face discrimination, harassment, and barriers to essential areas such as employment, housing, and police support. Legal restrictions frequently limit their autonomy and decision-making capabilities.

The COALITION project engaged legal professionals and individuals with learning disabilities in six workshops to discuss the challenges surrounding accessible legal information. From these discussions, the team co-created templates designed for legal service providers, as well as a toolkit aimed at fostering inclusive research practices. These resources include guidance on creating “easy read” materials and consent forms, utilising simple language and imagery to clarify complex legal concepts.

These COALITION templates are freely available for legal service providers to download, customise, and implement. Law firms can incorporate their branding or adapt the templates to suit their specific needs, facilitating the development of accessible legal documentation.

Professor Harding noted the broader benefits of providing information in easy-to-read formats, stating, “When you provide information in an easy to read format, most people will go to it first, because it is quicker to read. This means easy read information is useful for people with low literacy, whether or not they have a learning disability, and for those for whom English is not their first language.”

This collaborative effort not only aims to enhance legal accessibility for individuals with learning disabilities but also promotes inclusive practices that benefit a wider audience, fostering a more equitable legal environment for all.