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Holland South Local Reference INFOrmation
Overview of where to go and what to do if you are mobility, sight or hearing impaired - a wheelchair or cane user - and living in or visiting The Hague and neighbouring areas. Information on the Dutch organisations and facilities.
According to Article 1 of the Dutch Constitution, discrimination on any grounds is prohibited in the Netherlands. The Act on Equal Treatment of Disabled and Chronically Ill People, managed by the CG-Raad, came into effect on 1 December 2003. This law gives disabled people the right to the adaptations necessary to enable them to participate fully in society.
Benefits for Disabled PeopleThe majority of care facilities and services for the disabled are funded through the public health insurance, on the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act (AWBZ), which provides entitlement to expensive long-term health care. Care, support and treatment are provided to people with mental disability, psychological problems, epilepsy and those with non-congenital brain damage. The Domiciliary Care Institutions (there are about 142 of these in the Netherlands) are able to provide additional care and assistance to people with a physical or mental disability who are living independently or with their parents or carers. The Act on Facilities for the Disabled allows the disabled to apply for various adaptations to their houses or means of transportation. The Disablement Benefits Act (WAO) and the Self-Employed Persons Disablement Benefits Act (WAZ) provide special benefits to employees and self-employed people who became disabled. The Disability Reintegration Act (REA) provides for disabled people needing help to re-enter the job market. Disabled ChildrenApart from child benefits, a specific allowance is provided to parents who wish to keep a disabled child at home. The child must be between 3 and 17 years of age and in need of constant care and supervision resulting from one or more mental or physical disorder. Above the age of 18, a child may claim a specific benefit, in accordance with the Disablement Assistance Act for Handicapped Young Persons (WAJONG), the amount allowed depending on the degree of disability. Disabled Travel & Transport in the NetherlandsOver the past years much effort has been made to improve accessibility: access to trams and buses has been improved, ramps are now present on roads. However, in older cities such as the capital Amsterdam access for people using a wheelchair is still complicated. Most museums, government buildings and train facilities have been modified. A local district office can supply information on adapted transport for its area. Driving and the disabledDisabled drivers in the Netherlands of vehicles with more than two wheels, who have a valid disabled parking badge, are exempt from the following parking restrictions
In all these cases the person must clearly display a parking disk or badge in the parked vehicle. Parking badges for the disabled that are issued by competent authorities outside of the Netherlands are considered to be the equivalent of Dutch disabled parking badges. The blue badge is a standardised European Community disabled person's parking permit which provides parking entitlements to badge holders in all complying European countries - a blue badge from one country is valid in another. A person coming to the the Netherlands from an EU country can apply in their home country for this universal badge which allows the use of reserved parking. Things to keep in mind:
Drivers with a blue badge from another European country may display this translation beside a badge written in another language (text from the UK Automobile Association):
Mobile phones: The use of mobile phones whilst driving is forbidden for all drivers in the Netherlands, this also applies to persons driving an invalid carriage. TrainsThe Dutch Railways (Nederlandse Spoorwegen - NS) provides for physically disabled and wheelchair bound, hearing and sight impaired passengers at most stations. Special facilities include removable bridges for wheelchairs, guidelines for the visually impaired and plug-in sockets for hearing aids at ticket counters (the connecting cord is not supplied; the hearing aid user must buy their own).
Train schedules are available to hearing and sight impaired people in spoken text, Braille and digitally; the website accommodates digital Braille readers.
Trains are accessible to most wheelchairs, although some restrictions are applied to width and weight. Fuel-based motor vehicles are excluded from trains, but special scooters may be sometimes allowed depending on the time of day and number of people travelling. When required, special assistance can be pre-booked on trains. Book at least three hours before the journey by calling the Disabled Assistance Office (Bureau Assistentieverlening Gehandicapten). A time and place to meet will be arranged.
People regularly travelling with a carer may apply to the NS for a Public Transport Assistant Pass (OV-Begeleiderskaart) which allows free transport for the carer. This pass is given in the name of the disabled person so the carer can be a different person for each journey. Please note that travelling with a carer and holding an OV pass will reduce access to NS assistance services. People travelling with a seeing-eye dog in trains, train-taxis or other forms of public transport do not pay any supplement. For assistance at railway stations contact the NS:
Buses and vansAdapted buses and vans can be booked in advance in most local areas. For transport between regions which are not covered by train, there is a system called Valys.
For information on collective transport on demand (Collectief Vraagafhankelijk Vervoer) contact by text-telephone:
Schiphol airportFor general assistance at Schiphol Airport, call the free service:
Car park at Schiphol: Special parking places are available at the P1, P2 and P3 car parks of Schiphol airport, indicated by the international symbol for the disabled. A bus adapted for wheelchair users operates upon request between the car park P3 and the airport. The request must be made at least 24 hours in advance, by calling the IAC (Intergom Airport Caddy) Schiphol Service.
Wheelchair services: Free wheelchairs are available at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport for those who have difficulties walking within the airport. Yellow Schiphol wheelchairs, located at the Schiphol Plaza and car parks P1 and P2, are available for visitors. A two-euro coin is needed (which is returned when the chair is returned). There is a lift at the Schiphol Railway Station to take disabled passengers from the platform to the airport and vice versa. A text telephone is available for deaf or impaired hearing passengers. A hearing loop is available at the information desks, transfer desks and in the waiting areas in Lounge Central. Accessibility
Accessibility of buildings
Accessibility of computer use
Leisure
Other associationsCalibre Audio Books: UK charity, Calibre, supplies audio books in English on cassette or disk to visually impaired and disabled people. The free service is available to members (registration can be made via the website). Free postal service is available to anywhere in Europe. Useful Information and Links
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