Accessibility Statement

Committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free digital environment in alignment with WCAG 2.2 AA.

Our Commitment & Standards

At Blue Ridge Care, we believe that everyone should be able to access our information easily, regardless of physical ability, neurodivergence, or assistive technologies. We are dedicated to maintaining a website that is fully compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standard.

We have designed this platform to be accessible to local authority commissioners, social workers, regulators, parents, and crucially, the vulnerable young people in our care.

Core Accessibility Features

1. Dyslexia-Friendly Interface Mode

We have integrated a global, dynamic Dyslexia Font toggle at the top of our website. When clicked, this toggle dynamically swaps our standard typeface to Atkinson Hyperlegible (designed specifically for readability by the Braille Institute) or an accessible sans-serif. It also increases letter-spacing (0.12em), line-height (1.8), and word-spacing (0.16em) across all pages, significantly improving readability for neurodivergent visitors.

2. Keyboard & Screen Reader Navigation

  • Skip to Content: A keyboard-accessible skip link is available on every page, allowing users navigating with a keyboard or screen reader to bypass header navigation links and go directly to main content.
  • Visible Focus Indicators: All interactive elements (links, buttons, form inputs) feature highly visible, high-contrast focus rings when focused via keyboard navigation.
  • Semantic HTML5 Structure: We utilize strict HTML5 elements (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>, <section>) and ARIA landmarks to ensure standard accessibility software can interpret page structures accurately.

3. Contrast & Responsive Scaling

  • Contrast Ratios: All text and core graphical components satisfy the minimum WCAG 2.2 AA contrast requirements against their respective backgrounds (minimum 4.5:1 ratio for standard body text, and 3:1 for large headers).
  • Responsive Scaling: Our fluid grid layouts support browser resizing and text magnification up to 200% without breaking layouts, clipping text, or requiring horizontal scrolling.
  • Alt Text: Every content-carrying image features detailed, descriptive alternate text (alt attribute), while purely decorative images are marked with empty attributes to avoid screen reader clutter.

Reporting Accessibility Concerns

Digital accessibility is a continuous process of auditing and refinement. If you find any barriers on our site, or have recommendations to improve usability for assistive software, please contact us:

Email: admin@blueridgecare.co.uk
Helpline: 01375 [TELEPHONE NUMBER]
Response Time: We review all digital accessibility feedback within 3 business days.