Disabled People's Cabinet Forum: report

5. Event Overview and Participants

The Cabinet Forum brought disabled people, Ministers, and Cabinet Secretaries together for a focused two‑hour session to advance the ambitions of the Disability Equality Plan. Ministerial involvement was central: direct dialogue enabled decision‑makers to hear lived experience first‑hand, strengthening the link between policy intent and the realities disabled people face. This engagement helped Ministers identify areas for improvement within their portfolios, creating a clearer route from lived experience to policy change.

Ministerial engagement throughout demonstrated a clear commitment to shared decision‑making and ensured the insights gathered would directly inform next steps in delivering the Disability Equality Plan.

The Forum brought together a diverse group of disabled people from across Scotland, including those who experience intersecting inequalities such as sexism, ageism, homophobia, and racism. Representatives from nine member organisations of the Scottish Independent Living Coalition (SILC) attended, ensuring breadth across communities, regions, and lived‑experience backgrounds.

The First Minister, Cabinet Secretaries, and the Minister for Equalities participated, alongside senior officials, to align discussions with ministerial portfolios and support cross‑government working. This mix of lived experience, organisational expertise, and ministerial engagement created a dynamic environment where issues could be examined in depth and from multiple perspectives.

Accessibility and inclusion were designed in from the outset, with adjustments tailored to individual needs.