Accessibility

SafeLives is committed to ensuring that our website is accessible to all users. We strive to adhere to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and we continuously work to improve the accessibility of our website to provide an inclusive experience for all visitors.

We welcome feedback from users regarding the accessibility of our website. If you encounter any accessibility barriers, have suggestions for improvement or questions regarding this website accessibility policy, please get in touch. Your feedback is essential to our commitment to providing an accessible website for all users.

Accessibility features

Here are some of the features we have implemented to enhance the accessibility of our website:

Alternative text: We provide descriptive alternative text for images and transcripts for audio/video to ensure screen readers can understand the content of media.
Keyboard navigation: Our website can be navigated easily using only a keyboard, without requiring a mouse or touchpad.
Readable fonts: We use clear and legible fonts with adjustable sizes to accommodate users with visual impairments or reading difficulties.
Colour contrast: We ensure sufficient colour contrast between text and background elements to make the content readable for users with low vision or colour blindness.
Accessible forms: Our online forms are designed to be accessible and operable using assistive technologies.
Video accessibility: We provide captions or transcripts for videos to ensure that users with hearing impairments can access the content.
Responsive design: Our website is designed to be responsive across various devices and screen sizes, ensuring usability for all users, including those using mobile devices or tablets.

Structure of the site

A link to a site map can be found at the footer of every page, which shows the organisation of the whole site.

Content

We aim to use clear, plain English, communicating concisely and effectively so our content is easily understood by all users. This includes employing simple vocabulary, explaining jargon or technical terms, and structuring content in a way that is clear and logical. Additionally, we use descriptive headings, bullet points, and lists to make content more digestible.

A glossary of terms used in the domestic abuse sector can be found in the footer of every page.

We continue to review the readability of our content to ensure it is accessible to a wide range of individuals, including those with cognitive disabilities or limited English proficiency.

Ongoing improvements

SafeLives is dedicated to ongoing improvements in website accessibility. We regularly review our website and implement changes to enhance accessibility based on feedback from users and advancements in accessibility standards and technologies.

Please get in touch if you have any feedback to share.

Third-party content

While we strive to ensure accessibility across all areas of our website, we do feature third-party content and links to external websites. We cannot guarantee the accessibility of these external resources, but we encourage feedback regarding any accessibility issues encountered.

Accessibility standards compliance

SafeLives endeavours to meet the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA. We regularly assess our website using accessibility evaluation tools and conduct manual testing to identify and address accessibility barriers.

Policy review

This Accessibility Policy is subject to periodic review to ensure its effectiveness and compliance with evolving accessibility standards and best practices.

This policy was last updated on 4 June 2024.