Accessibility Statement

The Teaching Council is committed to making its website accessible, in accordance with European Union (Accessibility of Websites and Mobile Applications of Public Sector Bodies) Regulations 2020.

This accessibility statement applies to www.vettingdisclosures.teachingcouncil.ie.

Compliance Status

This website is compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA.

The Teaching Council is committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We aim to ensure an accessible experience for users, particularly those with disabilities, and aligns with legal requirements and best practice for web accessibility. We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and adhering to the required accessibility standards.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1) defines requirements for designers and developers to improve accessibility for people with disabilities.

Accessibility Features of this Website

The primary purpose of the accessibility test is to determine the level of compliance of the Teaching Council's website with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. The assessment aimed to ensure an accessible experience for users, particularly those with disabilities, and aligns with legal requirements and best practices for web accessibility.

Scope

The testing covered all web pages of the website, any PDF files are outside the scope of this document and testing. Specific components tested include interactive elements (such as buttons and form fields), navigation menus, multimedia content, and the overall layout and readability of text.

Preparation of this Accessibility Report

The report was prepared by Gumpshen on 13 November 2024 where Gumpshen performed a blend of manual and automated accessibility tests detailed below.

Automated Tools

    • Axe DevTools: Axe DevTools Web Accessibility Testing
    • Google Lighthouse: Lighthouse Overview

Manual Techniques

    • Keyboard navigation testing: All links and interactive elements were tested for accessibility via keyboard navigation, including tab order and focus visibility.
    • Screen reader testing: NV Access (NVDA) was used to assess how well the website content is conveyed to users who rely on screen readers.

Colour contrast tests

    • Contrast ratio checker: Chrome Extension
    • Colour contrast analyzer: Chrome Extension

This accessibility audit has confirmed that the website is compliant with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards.

Feedback and Contact Information

The Teaching Council is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users. We welcome feedback on the accessibility of this website.

If you have a comment or complaint about the accessibility of this website, please email our Access Officer, Stephen Conneally who can be contacted at info@teachingcouncil.ie.

If you wish to request particular content in an accessible format, please include the following details:

    • Your required format
    • The content you wish to receive (please include the url of the content)
    • Your name and email address.

We will make all reasonable efforts to fulfil your request.

Enforcement procedure

If you are not happy with our response or if you want to raise an accessibility issue that is not related to this website, you can ask the Ombudsman to investigate. Contact the office of the Ombudsman or read guidance on how to make a complaint.

Postal address: The Teaching Council, Block A, Maynooth Business Campus, Maynooth, Co Kildare, W23 Y7X0

Email: info@teachingcouncil.ie

Phone: +353 1 651 7900

Access Officer

Queries and complaints about accessibility are dealt with by our Access Officer.

The role of the Access Officer is to provide or arrange assistance and guidance to persons with disabilities accessing our services.

Our Access Officer is Stephen Conneally who can be contacted at info@teachingcouncil.ie.

The contact number for the Teaching Council is +353 1 651 7900.