I'm looking for help with a question on my latest assignment (HNC).

Question: What has the impact been like on welfare rights officers since the introduction of the Disability Discriminations Act?

You might want to try be a bit more specific - for example, do you mean the effect on the organisations that they work for, in terms of making adaptations, or do you mean on the advisors in terms of helping clients, or do you mean in terms of the impact upon WRO's clients?

Don't know if this has relevance to your HNC but wasn't really 100% sure what you are after.

Anyway, the following transpired (feed back from someone who attended) apparently at a tribunal users meeting in Bournemouth with the Appeals Service concerning the Dorchester venue in West Dorset.

Dorchester Venue moved to county hall as lease for original venue expired 31/03/2006. It appears County Hall was deemed unsuitable under DDA. Then they tried The Corn exchange and apparently that was no good too. Then they explored other possible venues e.g. hotels.

Now, from 19/05/2006 the venue will be at the combined courts in Weymouth in the same complex as the JC+. Apparently TAS (yeh i know it's name has changed but old habits etc)advised ample parking is available in the area - though parking is not a reason for selecting a venue. Apparently they only have to provide a drop off point for disabled people.

There is one disabled space available which will need to be booked through Cardiff (TAS HQ for our region). Apparently TAS will use the venue on days when the courts are sitting i.e. there will be no set days it will depend on need.

As for the Bournemouth venue apparently a disabled loo will be built as there is not one at present.

see ya andy