Disability Inclusion Action Group (DIAG)

The Disability Inclusion Action Group comprises clergy and lay people with a range of disabilities, from across the Diocese of Derby.  Our aim is to see disability inclusion taken seriously in our churches and across the Diocese. 

Motivated by the requirement for all churches to conduct an access audit, the Diocese of Derby Disability Inclusion Action Group (supported by The Rt Rvd Malcolm Macnaughton, Bishop of Repton) devised a symbol-based, disability self-assessment chart for church use, including online and printed signage. 

This project is part of the Church of England’s Disability Project 2024 - 2026, which is the National Church Institutions’ response to a debate at General Synod in summer 2022. 

The symbols are for everyone but will be especially useful to those with specific access needs or requirements, enabling them to assess outlining the accessibility of church buildings and services, and enabling them to make further enquiries.

It is hoped that they are a tool for churches, enabling them to assess easily and accurately to start a positive process of welcoming, ensuring their buildings are as accessible as possible. Initially an invited number of parishes are being piloted to use the symbols. The learning from the pilots can inform any future development of the audit and symbols that may be required. 

The decision to use them is for the PCC/relevant Committee to make, having asked one or more of its members to carry out the symbol-based audit and share it for PCC/Committee approval before the symbols are actually used. 

The symbols can then be used to signpost and advertise church facilities and access clearly and quickly. Whilst the use of the symbols will be particularly valuable online, we also suggest parishes use a simple template for a poster backdrop to inform visitors which symbols apply in your local context. This may be laminated and used on church porch noticeboards etc. 

The following pages outline the symbols available, allowing users to determine clearly the accessibility of a church. The chart is intended not to say what a church cannot provide, but rather what it can provide, thus allowing church users to make informed decisions about whether the church and its facilities meet their individual access requirements.

These symbols can be used in a number of ways: flyers, wayfinding, signage, websites, etc. We hope that the symbols will help you to clearly communicate each facility. The symbols can also be uploaded onto ‘A Church Near You’. 

These symbols have been designed for the Diocese of Derby (Copyright owners) and licenced for use by the Church of England. Churches may use these symbols as defined within this website.