Accessible Customer Service Policy

Introduction

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection Inc. (“C3P”) is committed to complying with the Customer Service Standard Regulation under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act. Our policies, practices and measures reflect the principles of dignity, independence, integration, and equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

C3P strives to ensure that those we serve are able to benefit from the resources and services that we offer. If a barrier to accessing C3P’s resources or services cannot be removed, we will seek to provide alternate ways to access the resources or services.

C3P is a national charity dedicated to the personal safety of children that provides many of its goods and services at no cost to members of the public. C3P will strive to provide its goods and services to persons with disabilities at no added cost. A fee or charge will only be charged in relation to accommodation of a person with a disability where C3P is unable to reasonably accommodate the person otherwise.

The following policy statements, organizational practices and measures are intended to meet the requirements of the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service.

This policy applies to all employees of C3P including management, term, casual and contract employees, and volunteers.

1. Meet communication needs

   Policy Statement:

   C3P will strive to meet the communication needs of members of the public, and the children and families that it serves.

   Practices and Measures:

   • To meet communication needs, C3P will offer to communicate in different ways, such as writing things down, reading out loud and taking extra time to explain things.
   • We will also:
     • keep paper and pens available to write things down particularly when in meetings and offer to send information via email if the meeting is over the phone
     • offer a chair when longer conversations are needed
     • offer a quieter space if required
     • sit down to engage with someone using a wheelchair
   • C3P will strive to provide its publications in different formats and will add the statement, “This publication may be available in alternate formats on request” to all future publications created on and after the date this policy comes into effect.
   • C3P will write its publications, signs and documents in plain language.
   • C3P will use signs and documents that are easy to read, including using larger fonts and colour contrast.

2. Accommodate the use of assistive devices

   Policy Statement:

   C3P will accommodate the use of assistive devices when the members of the public that we serve are accessing our goods, services or facilities.

   Practices and measures:

   • Provided the position of the assistive device does not pose a risk to others, C3P employees will not touch or move the assistive devices of individuals without permission if consent cannot be obtained.
   • Where C3P is able to provide assistive devices, C3P will notify persons who may require such devices of their presence upon request.
   • Should C3P have any assistive devices that it provides, employees and volunteers will be trained on how to use those assistive devices.
   • In cases where the assistive device presents health or safety concerns, C3P will strive to mitigate such concerns or use other measures to ensure the person with disabilities can access our goods and services.

3. Welcome support persons

   Policy Statement:

   C3P will welcome support persons.

   A support person, as defined in the Accessible Customer Service Standard, means, in relation to a person who is disabled by a barrier, a person who accompanies the person to:

   1. support the person obtaining, using or benefiting from a good or service provided by an organization; or
   2. assist the person in addressing his or her communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs.

   Practices and Measures:

   • C3P will address the person receiving our services not the support person, unless requested by the person receiving our services.
   • C3P will make space for support persons on-site and will ensure members of the public and those it serves have access to their support persons. Due to the sensitivity of the nature of our work, C3P may on occasion need to restrict access to materials or presentations that it offers to the person receiving our services.
   • C3P waives admission or service fees for support persons to our conferences or training sessions provided the need for a support person has been identified in advance, given that conference and training sessions require a lot of planning in general.

4. Allow service animals

   Policy Statement:

   C3P will allow service animals on its premises.

   A “service animal” as defined in The Manitoba Human Rights Code means an animal that has been trained to provide assistance to a person with a disability that relates to that person’s disability.

   Practices and Measures:

   • C3P will:
     • treat a service animal as a working animal
     • not distract a service animal from its job by petting, feeding or playing with it, unless given permission by the person with the service animal to do so
     • know how to identify a service animal by its harness or vest and by the assistance the animal is providing
   • If C3P has concerns, we may ask if the animal has been trained to help a person with a disability-related need. C3P will not enquire about the disability.
   • If another law prohibits service animals, we will explain why the animal cannot enter the space and discuss with the person another way of providing goods or services.
   • If it is known that other individuals in the same space have allergies or sensitivities to the type of service animal that is present, C3P will endeavour to arrive at a solution that respects the concerns and rights of both parties under the circumstances.
   • We expect the person who is handling the service animal to maintain control of the animal physically or through voice, signal or other means.
   • If the service animal is showing signs of not being controlled (i.e., by barking, whining or wandering), we may provide a warning to the handler to control the animal. If the service animal continues to misbehave, we may ask the handler to leave.

5. Maintain accessibility features

   Policy Statement:

   To ensure barrier-free access to our goods and services, C3P will maintain its accessibility features, so they can be used as intended.

   Practice and Measures:

   • C3P will organize its space so that there is room for people with wheelchairs, electric scooters and walkers.
   • Our seating will accommodate people of varying sizes and abilities.
   • C3P will keep hallways, aisles, entrance and reception areas, waiting rooms and meeting rooms clear of clutter that impedes accessibility.
   • C3P will strive to use both audio and visual cues when appropriate to assist the persons it serves.
   • C3P will strive to keep our entrance area clear of ice and snow.
   • C3P will endeavour to place standing signs out in locations that reduce the likelihood of posing a tripping hazard.
   • C3P’s accessibility features affected by this policy at 611 Academy and 615 Academy include hallways, aisles, entrance and reception areas, waiting rooms and meeting rooms, accessible washroom, automatic doors, doorbells and ramps.
   • Some accessibility features cannot be provided at the premises located at 615 Academy as it is a heritage building that cannot be modified, and it has stairs and other barriers that pose difficulty for some persons who require assistive devices, and the building is not owned by C3P. Where necessary accessibility features are not available at 615 Academy, C3P will endeavor to make such accessibility features available at the premises located at 611 Academy and provide services to persons who require certain assistive devices from that location.

6. Let the public know when and why an accessibility feature is unavailable

   Policy Statement:

   C3P shall let the public know when and why an accessibility feature is temporarily unavailable, how long it will be unavailable, and other ways to access our goods and services.

   Practices and Measures:

   • If one of our accessibility features becomes temporarily unavailable, we will prepare and post a notice and/or announcement about the disruption, the reason for the disruption, how long it will last, and whether there are other ways we can provide access to our goods and services (e.g., by using an alternate entrance).
   • If requested, C3P will do its best to work with the person making the request to find other ways to provide goods and services.
   • We will let the public know about disruptions in the following ways:
     • posted on website, on social media, and/or in newsletters;
     • posted at our building entrance, or reception desk;
     • included in posters, brochures, pamphlets and/or advertisements; and/or
     • through employees, volunteers or management (in person, by phone or through recorded greetings), whichever is the most appropriate given the accessibility feature.

7. Welcome and respond promptly to feedback

   Policy Statements:

   C3P will welcome and respond promptly to feedback it receives on the accessibility of its goods and services.

   C3P shall document the actions it takes to respond to the feedback it receives, and that information will be made available on request in a format that meets the individual’s communication needs.

   Practices and Measures:

   • C3P invites feedback by phone, fax or email.
   • All feedback will be directed to the Associate Executive Director who will determine what action, if any, should occur.
   • If the feedback requires us to follow-up, the person who provided the feedback will be notified that the request is being reviewed and when they can expect a response.
   • C3P will let the person providing feedback know what action it will take to address their feedback, if any.
   • C3P will respond to feedback in a way that meets the communication needs of the individual.

8. Provide the required training to employees, volunteers and management

   Policy Statement:

   C3P shall provide the required training on accessible customer service to employees, volunteers and management who provide services and goods to the public and/or participate in the creation and implementation of policies. Employees and volunteers are trained on:

   • How to interact and communicate with people who face barriers to accessing goods and services, use assistive devices, are assisted by a support person and/or are assisted by a service animal.
   • How to use any equipment or assistive devices that are available on-site.
   • An overview of The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, The Human Rights Code (Manitoba), and the Customer Service Standard Regulation.
   • Our organizational policies, practices and measures, including updates or changes.

   Practices and Measures:

   • C3P will train new employees, volunteers and management who provide goods and services to the public and/or participate in the creation and implementation of policies within two weeks after hiring. Employees or volunteers whose duties change to include those mentioned above will be trained within two weeks of being assigned the new duties.
   • C3P will provide refresher training regularly, including updates to policies, practices and measures. Training will be offered every six months for the first year of this policy being implemented and once a year thereafter.
   • The Director of Finance and Administration will record who has taken training and when.
   • Feedback on the accessibility of our goods and services will be addressed in regular staff meetings of departments who offer services and goods to the public.

9. Keep written record of accessibility and training policy

   Policy Statements:

   C3P will keep a written record of its accessibility and training policies.

   Our written documents shall include a summary of our training material and when training is offered.

   C3P will let the public know that our written policies are available on request.

   Practices and Measures:

   • C3P will post notices about this policy on its website, and on other materials as needed.
   • C3P will provide documentation on the measures, policies practices and implementation of accessibility policies upon request. If a person requests, C3P will provide information on its measures, policies practices and implementation in an accessible manner to the extent it is able to reasonably do so.
   • C3P will provide its policies within a reasonable timeframe, at no cost, and in a format that meets the needs of the individual to the extent it is reasonably able to do so.

Feedback Process

To provide feedback on the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities, members of the public can relate their concern in one of the following ways: