Accessibility statement

This accessibility statement applies to our website, brook.org.uk. The domain legacy.brook.org.uk is not covered by this policy and is due to be retired in 2023. 

Last updated: 26/05/2023 

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

• Change colours and contrast levels of webpages. 
• Zoom in up to 300% without the text spilling off the screen. 
• Navigate most of the website using just a keyboard. 
• Navigate most of the website using speech recognition software. 
• Listen to most of the website using a screen reader. 

How accessible this website is 

Brook is committed to meeting WCAG 2.1 AA standards as a minimum and we are working on updating our website to ensure this. All of Brook’s new digital tools will meet this standard.  

We recognise that some parts of this website are not yet fully accessible. For example: 

• Some sections are not navigable using keyboard or speech recognition software. 
• In some sections, you cannot skip to the main content when using a screen reader. 
• Focus or hover state is not fully implemented. 
• There are limits to how far you can magnify some embedded maps and widgets. 
• Some of the colour contrast isn’t fully accessible.
• Some of the fonts might be hard to read. 
• Not all images have alt text. 
• Older PDF documents are not fully accessible to screen reader software. 
• Our videos do not all have subtitles and audio descriptions. 

What we’re doing to improve accessibility 

We’re working to make sure the text content on our website is as simple as possible to understand.  

• Most of the text is left-aligned. 
• Hyperlinks are descriptive. 
• Most non-decorative images have alt text. 
• Page structure is consistent with the expected standards. 

We have introduced the Monsido PageAssist tool to support users of the website and address issues including (but not limited to): 

• line height and spacing 
• colour contrast 
• fonts and typefaces. 

We are also working closely with our web agency to improve page design and navigation using keyboard and/or speech recognition software. 

Furthermore, accessibility is a core component of all new digital projects, and we are working with our technical partners to ensure that future tools and sites meet WCAG 2.1 AA from launch. 

Disproportionate burden 

Disproportionate burden applies to accessibility issues that are particularly difficult or expensive to fix and where the benefit of undertaking the work is not high enough to justify the resources required.  

As a charity, we must always be careful to ensure that we use our resources to the maximum benefit and we have identified that the accessibility issues noted below currently fall into the category of disproportionate burden. They will remain under review and will be addressed as soon as possible. 

• In some cases we use maps and widgets that are owned by third parties and we are therefore unable to make changes to them. Wherever possible, we aim to use widgets that are accessible, but there are some situations where we are limited in what we can use.
• Some of our older graphics and documents use colour contrast ratios between text and background which do not always meet WCAG 2.1 AA standards and the expense of replacing these immediately would be high. Wherever it has been possible to rectify digitally, colour contrast ratios have been checked and amended across the site and we have implemented accessibility software to support users in applying their preferred contrast levels.
• Our old brand uses typefaces that are not fully accessible. We rectifying this as we roll-out our refreshed brand.
• Not all of our videos have subtitles and audio description. We are rectifying this as and when the videos are reviewed and updated, but to address this immediately would be a disproportionate burden because of cost.

Content that is not within the scope of accessibility regulations 

• Accessibility regulations do not require us to fix PDFs or other documents published before 23 September 2018 [opens in new window] if they’re not essential to providing our services. 
• We do not plan to add captions to live video streams because live video is exempt from meeting the accessibility regulations [opens in new window]. 

Tools to improve your experience 

Whilst we are in the process of improving accessibility across our site, the following tools may be useful for providing you with a better user experience: 

• My Computer My way [opens in new window]: developed by AbilityNet, a UK charity which aims to improve the lives of disabled people by helping them to use digital technology, this series of guides offers step-by-step instructions on how to adapt your phone, computer or tablet to meet your needs. 
• Better Web Browsing: Tips for Customising Your Computer [opens in new window]: provides references to resources, including detailed documentation and step-by-step guides, to help you customize your web browser and computer setup.
• Browser plugins like ReaderView for Firefox [Opens in new window] or ReaderView for Chrome [Opens in new window] will help you adjust line height and word spacing.

Feedback and contact information 

If you need information on this website in a different format like accessible PDF, large print, easy read, audio recording or braille, please email website@brook.org.uk.

We’ll do our best to accommodate your request and get back to you within 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 we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, please email website@brook.org.uk.  

All constructive feedback about the usability of our site is welcome and we promise to consider it carefully. 

To help us identify the problem as quickly as we can, please let us know:  

• The address or title of the page where you found a problem.  
• What the problem is, including any screenshots if relevant. 
• What sort of device (e.g., laptop, tablet, phone) and software you were using when you encountered the problem.