Accessibility statement for Citizen Portal

This accessibility statement applies to the Citizen Portal

This website is run by Middlesbrough Council. We want as many people as possible to be able to use this website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • Navigate most of the application processes on the website using just a keyboard
  • Listen to much of the website using a screen reader
  • Change most of the colours, font, text appearance, and spacing if required via your browser
  • Zoom in up to 200% with most text remaining fully visible on the page

We've also made the portal text as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet (https://mcmw.abilitynet.org.uk/) has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

How accessible is this website

We know that some parts of the portal are not fully accessible, these include:

  • Some of the pages are not fully accessible by keyboard
  • Some of the website may be difficult to listen to with a screen reader
  • Not all content is conveyed in the most logical order
  • There are some minor visual and control placement inconsistencies and issues
  • Some dialogs created with Bootstrap have an issue with shift+tab navigating from the dialog
  • The user is not warned of session expiry or provided with a mechanism to extend their session

Feedback and contact information

If you need information on this portal in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille you can contact us using the following methods:

  • Email schooladmissions@middlesbrough.gov.uk

We'll consider your request and get back to you in 10 working days.

Reporting accessibility problems with this website

We're always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems not listed on this page or think that we're not meeting accessibility requirements, please contact schooladmissions@middlesbrough.gov.uk

Enforcement procedure

The Equality and Human Right Commission (EHRC) is responsible for enforcing the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018 (the 'accessibility regulations'). If you're not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS)(https://www.equalityadvisoryservice.com/).

Technical information about this website's accessibility

Capita One (as a part of Capita Business Services Limited) and Middlesbrough Council are committed to making this website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sectors Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.

Compliance status

This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard, due to the non-compliances and exemptions listed below.

Non-accessible content

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

Non-compliance with the accessibility regulations

Appearance

Some colour contrasts do not provide the ratio required meaning that some people with visual impairments may not be able to see the all the text clearly, or the edge of some form fields with sufficient clarity. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.3 (AA) Contrast (Minimum) and 1.4.11 (AA) Non-text Contrast.

A few elements do not allow the user to easily change the colours, fonts, text appearance, or spacing via their browser. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.4 (AA) Resize Text and 1.4.12 (AA) Text Spacing.

We plan to ensure all colour contrasts are compliant by April 2021, and when we add new functionality will ensure it meets accessibility standards.

Navigating and accessing information

There is currently only one way to access the first page of each application process, and some peripheral processes which is via the Home screen. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.5 (AA) Multiple Ways.

Some interactive elements are detected as the wrong type by assistive technology, so can be used but will not be reported as the intended type by all assistive technology. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.2 (A) Name, Role, Value, 1.3.1 (A) Info and Relationships.

Some status messages are not reported to screen readers. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 4.1.3 (AA) Status Messages.

Some form controls do not have programmatically associated labels, making usage harder with assistive technology. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.3.5 (AA) Identify Input Purpose, 1.3.1 (A) Info and Relationships, 2.4.6 (AA) Headings and Labels.

A few pieces of placeholder text, such as the example eligibility code placeholder, are not fully visible, without mouseover when the text is resized in the browser to 200%. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.1.1 (A) Keyboard, 1.4.4 (AA) Resize Text.

Some pages have a flow that is yet to be optimised for current user needs or have inconsistently rendered controls or control placement. Flow of shift+tab is disrupted for some dialogs that use Bootstrap (a third party library), trapping the user outside of the dialog until tab is used. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.4.3 (A) Focus Order, 3.2.3 (AA) Consistent Navigation, 3.2.4 (AA) Consistent Identification, 1.3.1 (A) Info and Relationships, 1.3.2 (A) Meaningful Sequence.

We plan to improve the flow and improve the experience for assistive technology users to be compliant by September 2021, and if new pages are added will ensure the flow is logical and optimised for user needs, with all controls correctly programmed.

Consistency

There are some interactive elements that are displayed slightly differently in different areas of the website, such as some searchable dropdowns which are created by a third party library Chosen, the person tiles in My Family and the tiles within the application processes themselves, and the file upload controls. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion, 3.2.4 (AA) Consistent Identification.

We plan to improve the consistency to be compliant by December 2021.

Errors

There are a couple of ways in which errors are detected and shown to the user, not all of which have suggestions for correction. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 3.3.1 (A) Error Identification, 3.3.3 (AA) Error Suggestion.

We plan to improve the consistency to be compliant by December 2021.

Responsive Design and Mobile

There are some places where horizontal scrolling is required or content is misaligned on some smaller browser windows, mobile screens and orientations. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.4.10 (AA) Reflow.

We plan to make the mobile experience compliant by December 2021.

Session expiry

The user is not currently told that their session is about to expired, provided the ability to extend their session or told their session has expired. This fails WCAG 2.1 success criterion 2.2.1 (A) Timing Adjustable.

We plan to provide a warning of session expiry to the user and offer the option to extend their session by December 2021.

What we're doing to improve accessibility

We plan to improve the accessibility of this website with ongoing releases throughout the year. We are committing to improve the accessibility of this website in various ways including rectifying issues with colour contrast and status messaging, fixing robustness issues, and addressing inconsistencies by April, September, and December 2021.

Preparation of this accessibility statement

This statement was prepared on 27th of August 2020. It was last reviewed on 2nd of September 2020.

The website was last tested on 27th of August 2020. The test was carried out internally by Capita One.

We tested all core pages within the website as these contain all control types and elements used throughout; subsequently only pages which have been updated will be tested for accessibility.

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