Wellbeing and social Inclusion survey

This report, conducted in 2022 describes the findings from the National Wellbeing and Social Inclusion Survey. The aim of the survey was to find out if people feel that they belong and feel valued and respected in their communities and to determine how respondents evaluate their own sense of wellbeing. It also sought to assess how the combination of marginal identities affects wellbeing and social inclusion.

The findings indicate that disabled people experience poorer mental wellbeing and social inclusion compared to non-disabled people. The findings further highlight that identifying as a member of more than one marginalised group, such as being disabled and a member of the LGBTQI+ community, increases the risk of social exclusion and poorer wellbeing.

The research report explores these issues in more depth. Also published are the Easy-to-Read summary and the questionnaires used.

Narrative analysis of Wellbeing and Social Inclusion Survey

The Wellbeing and Social Inclusion Survey outlined above included an open question that targeted respondents who indicated they encounter barriers to participation in social and leisure activities. Over 1,000 respondents, of whom four in five were people with disabilities, told us about the barriers they face. We conducted a narrative analysis of these responses and have developed the responses into ten categories that highlight the range and complexity of issues raised.

The survey data indicate that disabled people are not able to participate in social and leisure activities on an equal footing with their non-disabled peers. Unequal access to and participation in social and leisure activities is likely to contribute to inequalities in health outcomes between the disabled and non-disabled populations.

Read the report here

Wellbeing and Social Inclusion Consultation

In January 2023 following the launch of the NDA’s Wellbeing and Social Inclusion survey described abvoe we held a consultation hosted jointly by the NDA and the Department of Children Equality Disability Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). The attendees were asked to discuss three main topics;

  • What can we do to improve the social inclusion and wellbeing of people with disabilities?
  • How do we reduce negative attitudes towards people with disabilities and tackle discrimination?
  • How do we monitor these actions?

The findings from the consultation will be used to inform the NDA’s work and to feed into the development of a successor strategy to the National Disability Inclusion Strategy.