Accessibility statement
This accessibility statement applies to Kent.gov.uk, run by Kent County Council.
The content on this website is designed for everyone to find, read, and understand. It is compatible with assistive technologies and developed to meet the accessibility standards outlined in this statement.
View the site your way
There are a number of customisation options for your browser and device that could help you use this website and other websites more effectively.
AbilityNet provide advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.
Feedback and contact information
Contact us if you have an accessibility query including:
- if you are experiencing issues with accessing information or using the website
- if you find an accessibility problem not listed on this statement
- if you have positive feedback on the accessibility considerations made.
When you contact us there is a process in place that will acknowledge your contact. We will tell you who is dealing with it and give you a timescale when to expect a reply.
Alternative formats
Translation tools
If you or someone you know needs information in a different language, browsers like Edge, Chrome and Safari can translate pages into over 100 languages.
Find out how to change languages and translate web pages in:
You could also download the Microsoft Translator app to have real-time translated conversations.
Other formats
If you need us to provide information in an alternative format, such as braille or a language other than English:
- email: alternativeformats@kent.gov.uk
- call: 03000 421 553.
An English-speaker will take details of what you need and arrange a translation or interpreting service for you.
We may not be able to meet your requirements immediately, but we will try to provide an interpreter (or translation service) to help you as quickly as possible.
Complaints process
If you have reported a problem with our website or asked for an alternative format, but you are not happy with our response, use our complaints process to register your difficulty. This helps us improve our processes.
Enforcement procedure
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’re not happy with how we respond to your complaint, contact the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS).
Technical information about this website’s accessibility
Kent County Council is committed to making this website accessible, in accordance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018.
Compliance status
This website is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.2 AA standard, due to the non-compliances listed below.
Non-accessible content
We formally test the accessibility of key user journeys that represent the breadth of content across our website on a regular basis against WCAG 2.2 AA standards.
Some parts of the website may not work for everyone. Below are known issues that we either need to fix, cannot fix, or do not need to fix right now.
If you find something that does not work that we missed, remember to contact us.
Website wide issues
Text within images
Some images contain text which cannot be read by assistive technology, such as screen readers.
Images that do not contain sufficiently descriptive alt-text are not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.1.1, and WCAG guideline 1.3.3.
We will correct insufficient alt-text over time as we review each page and we are reviewing how to to best display text within images.
Images with insufficient colour contrast
Some images contain text that does not meet minimum colour contrast requirements.
Images with insufficient colour contrast are not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.3.
We will correct the contrast on these images over time as we review each page.
Links with insufficient colour contrast
When viewing on a device 320 pixels wide, link text on our Twitter widget does not meet minimum colour contrast requirements.
This is not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.3 and WCAG guideline 1.4.10.
We are working to correct this issue.
Links indistinguishable from text
On some pages links may not be underlined and only identifiable by colour: Users with visual impairments cannot see these links.
This is not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.1.
We will correct these links over time as we review each page.
Search box button
When our website is viewed with CSS disabled, a button labelled ‘Open search box’ appears within the header of each page but does not offer any function.
This function is not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.3.2, and WCAG guideline 2.4.4.
We've investigated ways of resolving this but couldn't find an acceptable solution that works well in all circumstances. We believe that our current approach is the best one overall.
Image backgrounds
Images with text may be hard to see or understand, due to the colour contrast being affected when CSS is disabled.
Images with insufficient colour contrast are not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.4.3.
We will correct the contrast on these images over time as we review each page.
Content specific issues
Budget book
Our budget book (PDF, 3.3 MB) contains a number of accessibility issues that we are actively exploring fixes for.
We will ensure that future versions of the budget book are accessible.
Image sliders
You cannot use the 'previous slide' and 'next slide' controls on our image sliders using a keyboard, or pause automatic image scrolling. This is not compliant with WCAG guideline 2.2.2.
This is a compromise intended to improve the experience for visually impaired screen reader users, who would otherwise be presented with controls affecting decorative images, which can't be accessed using a screen reader.
Image sliders are found on our country parks pages, such as Shorne Woods Country Park.
Search results
Two search bars appear on our search results page.
This is not compliant with WCAG guideline 1.3.2.
The functionality is intended to improve the usability of the search page, by adding a search box containing the search terms closer to the search results. This helps to confirm the search terms used, and facilitates further searches.
We have decided not to remove the search bar in the site header to maintain a consistent and predictable structure.
Documents designed for printing
Some documents on our site are not designed for reading online, for example; posters, leaflets or digital image files. These documents may not be accessible.
We will offer a text-alternative for these documents, identify them as printable documents, and offer users an alternative format if requested.
Documents granted exemptions
In some circumstances, we have published documents that do not fully meet the accessibility requirements. You can request an alternative format.
These documents and the justification for why they have been published is listed below.
We are exploring how to fix each document.
| Document | Location | Date exemption granted | Reason for exemption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Land deposit registers | Protect land against new rights of way and village greens | 6 October 2020 | These documents contain an original application produced entirely by a third party, which is out of our control. |
| Autism and ADHD handbook | Information for families about autism and ADHD | 8 January 2021 | This PDF has been made as accessible as possible. However, some issues may remain that cannot be fixed due to copyright restrictions. |
| Kent Test familiarisation paper | Kent Test | 20 January 2021 | This document explains the Kent Test papers for children who will take them, and parts of it will not be fully accessible to users of some assistive technologies. Any child with a severe visual impairment who cannot access test papers can instead be assessed by a headteacher panel, which will look at their classwork and academic achievement. |
| SEND special provision plan | SEND strategy | 22 January 2021 | This document is a template issued by the Department for Education that we cannot change. |
| ISO 14001 certificate | ISO 14001 | 17 April 2024 | We are provided this certificate by the British Standards Institution and are legally obliged to present it on our website. |
Written Statement of Action - response letter | Ofsted and CQC inspection | 21 May 2021 | We are required by law to publish this letter, which is sent to us by Ofsted. |
| School admission documents | Admissions criteria consultation 2024/25 Admissions criteria 2024/25 - Primary Admissions criteria 2024/25 - Secondary Admissions criteria consultation 2025/26 Admissions criteria 2025/26 - Primary | 14 October 2021 | We are legally required to offer these documents on our site, but each document is owned by their respective school. |
| Education budget and outturn statements | Education budget statement for KCC 2019 to 2020 Education budget statement for KCC 2021 to 2022 Education outturn statement for KCC 2019 to 2020 Education outturn statement for KCC 2021 to 2022 | 11 March 2022 | As part of our statutory duties, these documents must be available to the public, and we are not allowed to make any changes to them now they have been returned to the Department for Education. |
| Kent Minerals and Waste Local Plan 2024-39 examination | 13 May 2024 | These documents contain an original application produced entirely by a third party, which cannot be alternate for legal reasons. |
| Kent improvement plan for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) | 8 August 2024 | We are required by law to publish this letter, which is sent to us by the Department for Education. |
Platform specific issues
Forms
We use GovService, a third party platform, to create and host forms.
GovService is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard due to the non-compliances listed on our GovService accessibility statement.
Feedback
We use GovMetric, a third party platform, to collect user feedback.
GovMetric is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard due to the non-compliances listed on our GovMetric accessibility statement.
Local Kent Directory
We use Open Objects, a third party platform, to host the Local Kent Directory.
Open Objects is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard due to the non-compliances listed on our Open Objects accessibility statement.
Searchable school database
We commission Cantium Solutions, a third party organisation, to host and maintain the Kent searchable school database.
The searchable school database is partially compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.1 AA standard due to the non-compliances listed on our searchable school database accessibility statement.
Disproportionate burden
Not applicable.
Content that’s not within the scope of the accessibility regulations
This section covers issues that we do not need to fix right now. The law calls these exemptions.
PDFs and documents
Some of our PDFs that are not essential to providing our services were published before 23 September 2018. Any new PDFs or documents we publish will meet accessibility standards.
Some closed consultations on our consultation directory may contain PDFs and other documents that may not be fully accessible. When we identify a document that does not meet accessibility guidelines, we will offer a clearly labelled accessible version.
If you identify a document that is not accessible, or you need information in an alternative format such as braille or a language other than English, contact our Alternative Formats Team.
Video
Video content embedded on our website before August 2019 may not meet accessibility standards: They may not feature subtitles, audio-description or offer a written transcript.
Any video added to our site since August 2019 meets accessibility regulations.
We use YouTube and Vimeo to embed videos onto our webpages. We are not responsible for the accessibility of the YouTube or Vimeo platforms.
Maps
Maps are by their nature a distinctly visual medium. For this reason, the accessibility regulations do not require maps to made accessible, provided that the key context is also made available on the same page in an accessible format.
Heritage items
The accessibility regulations do not apply to reproductions of items in heritage collections that cannot be made fully accessible.
Our website contains reproductions of items in heritage collections. We have made best endeavours to make these accessible. Contact us if you require an alternative format.
Third party content
Our website contains third party content. We do not have control over and are not responsible for the accessibility of this content, but we endeavour to work with the third party to improve its accessibility. This may include:
- links to non-KCC websites
- content or functionality on our website that we do not control, develop, or fund
- content hosted on other websites, such as social media sites.
Read our third party accessibility statements.
Preparation of this accessibility statement
This statement was prepared on 5 June 2019. It was last reviewed on 7 October 2024.
This website was last tested on 7 January 2023. The test was carried out by Kent County Council who tested a sample of the various web pages including the most visited pages. The tests were manual tests.