Accessibility statement

This statement applies to content published on:

• www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk
• careadvice.buckinghamshire.gov.uk
• lgps.buckinghamshire.gov.uk
• directory.buckinghamshire.gov.uk
• jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk
• fosterwithbucks.buckinghamshire.gov.uk

Other websites managed by Buckinghamshire Council will have their own separate accessibility statements.

As a minimum, you should be able to:

• zoom in up to 400% without problems
• navigate most of the website using just a keyboard
• operate most of the website using a screen reader

We’ve also tried to make the website text as simple as possible to understand.

For advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability, visit AbilityNet.

Buckinghamshire.gov.uk is partially compliant with WCAG 2.2 AA standards. However, we are constantly working to improve both our compliance and the experience of our users.

We know some parts of this website are not fully accessible:

• some online maps and mapping services cannot be easily navigated
• some pages and documents are not clearly written or structured
• some online tools may be difficult to use for assistive technologies
• some videos do not have captions
• some content such as images do not have good text alternatives
• some documents published before 23 September 2018 are not accessible but can be requested in an accessible format

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille email [email protected].

We will consider your request and get back to you within 20 working days.

If you can't hear or speak on the phone we provide a text relay service: 18001 0300 131 6000.

Or you can use our contact us form.

We are always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact the Web Team on [email protected].

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the ‘accessibility regulations’). If you contact us with a complaint and you’re not happy with our response contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard, due to the following issues:

The content listed below is non-accessible for the following reasons.

Some documents are not accessible in a number of ways including missing text alternatives and missing document structure.

View our accessible document policy to report any problems or request documents in an alternative format.

1. Text not included in an ARIA landmark
   Landmark roles provide information about page structure, and can help assistive technology users with in-page navigation. Having text outside of the landmarks will make it more difficult to navigate to for some visitors.
2. Skip to main content link is missing
   The first item reached by keyboard should be a link to the main content of the page. This link should be visible when receiving focus from the keyboard.
   

1. Container element is empty
   An empty container element can be confusing for users of assistive technology, such as screen readers. This fails the WCAG 2.2 success criteria 1.3.1 (Info and Relationships).

1. Headings are not structured
   On some pages the heading levels are skipped or nested incorrectly. This fails accessibility best practice and could make it harder for assistive technology users to understand how content is structured.
   
2. Page has no headings
   Some pages have no headings, which fails accessibility best practice. A lack of headings can make content harder for users of assistive technology to understand, including navigating using a screen reader.

Not applicable.

Non-HTML documents published before September 2018 do not need to be accessible - unless users need them to use a service.

Where we choose to feature third party content or functionality on our website, we are responsible for ensuring it meets accessibility standards. However, we are not responsible for the accessibility of third party platforms or content that is neither funded nor developed by us, or under our control. This includes:

• third party websites that we link to from this website and any of our other digital channels
• social media platforms
• data we supply to national databases
• third party content we are legally required to publish but is not in the control of Buckinghamshire Council

We monitor accessibility using automated checks via Siteimprove and manual checks. We also test this website regularly with real users.

This website has also been tested by the Shaw Trust. We will use this information to develop an accessibility roadmap that will show how and when we plan to make improvements on this website.

This statement was prepared on 21 June 2024. It was last reviewed on 16 September 2024.