Accessibility

Accessibility statement for Barnardo’s website.

We want as many people as possible to be able to use our website. For example, that means you should be able to:

  • change colours, contrast levels and fonts

  • zoom in up to your browser maximum 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 (including the most recent versions of JAWS, NVDA and VoiceOver)

We’ve also made the writing as simple as possible to understand.

AbilityNet has advice on making your device easier to use if you have a disability.

Your browser can offer accessibility features make the website usable for all users: 

Keyboard Navigation

Allows users to interact with web pages using only a keyboard, including navigating through links, form elements, and other interactive components.  A focus indicator (border) highlights the currently selected element on a webpage when navigating with a keyboard. 

How it works: 

  • Tab key: Navigates to the next interactive element (links, buttons, form fields, etc.).  

  • Esc key: Closes open menus or dialog boxes. 

  • Arrow keys: Navigate within components like dropdown menus, lists, sliders, or tabbed interfaces 

  • Spacebar: Often used to activate buttons, check boxes, and other interactive elements.  

  • Enter/Return key: Activates the selected element (clicks a link, submits a form, etc.).  

  • Shift + Tab: Navigates to the previous interactive element.  

Zoom and Font Adjustments

Enables users to enlarge text and zoom in on web pages to improve readability, particularly for those with visual impairments.  

Keyboard shortcuts: 

Zoom in: 

  • Windows/Linux: Press Ctrl and +  

  • Mac: Press Cmd and + 

  • Chrome OS: Press Ctrl and + 

Zoom out: 

  • Windows/Linux: Press Ctrl and -  

  • Mac: Press Cmd and - 

  • Chrome OS: Press Ctrl and -  

Reset: 

  • Windows/Linux/Chrome OS: Press Ctrl and 0  

  • Mac: Press Cmd and  0 

Color and Contrast Support

Provides options for adjusting website colors and contrast levels to enhance visibility and readability for users with color blindness or low vision. To enable dark mode, follow the steps below: 

Chrome: 

Steps for Desktop: 

  1. Open Google Chrome. 

  1. At the bottom right of a new tab page, click Customize Chrome. 

  1. Select Appearance. 

  1. Choose Dark.  

Android: 

  1. Open Google Chrome. 

  1. Tap More (three dots) in the top right corner. 

  1. Tap Settings. 

  1. Tap Theme. 

  1. Choose Dark.  

Edge: 

  1. Open Microsoft Edge 

  1. Click on the three dots (Settings and more) in the top right corner of the browser window and select "Settings".  

  1. In the left-hand menu, select "Appearance".  

  1. Under "Customize appearance," locate "Overall appearance" and select "Dark".  

  1. System Default (Optional): You can also select "System Default" and enable dark mode in your operating system's display settings. This will make Edge follow your system's theme.  

Firefox: 

  1. Open Firefox 

  1. Click the menu button (usually three horizontal lines) in the top right corner, then select "Settings" or "Preferences". 

  1. In the Settings window, click on "General" in the left-hand sidebar. 

  1. Scroll down to the "Language and Appearance" section. 

  1. Under "Color scheme," select "Dark" from the dropdown menu. 

  1. In some cases, you might need to restart Firefox for the changes to take full effect.  

For further information on accessibility features on your browser: 

For Google Chrome user  

Provides features like TalkBack, Live Caption, full-page zoom, and customizable font sizes, as well as support for assistive technology.  

Talkback, Zoom in/out, keyboard shortcuts: https://support.google.com/chrome/topic/7437725?hl=en&ref_topic=7439724&sjid=15839049272403636477-EU 

Translate pages to another language (Note: this translation had not been written by Barnardo’s) https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/173424?hl=en&sjid=15839049272403636477-EU 

Dark or light mode theme 

https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/9275525?hl=en&sjid=15839049272403636477-EU 

For Microsoft Edge users 

Offers features like text magnification, keyboard navigation, and high contrast modes, along with screen reader support.  

Accessibility features in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Support 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/use-microsoft-translator-in-microsoft-edge-browser-4ad1c6cb-01a4-4227-be9d-a81e127fcb0b 

For Mozilla Firefox users 

Includes features like keyboard shortcuts, zoom, font adjustments, and the ability to override page colors and fonts.  

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/accessibility-features-firefox 

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/website-translation 

For Apple Safari /Mac users 

These include screen reading with VoiceOver, visual adjustments like zoom and color filters, hearing enhancements like live captions and customized audio, and mobility options like keyboard and mouse control alternatives.  

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/mac-help/mchlp1400/mac 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/guide/safari/ibrw646b2ca2/mac 

If you can’t access parts of this website

If you need information on this website in a different format, like an accessible PDF, large print or audio recording, contact us.

Reporting accessibility problems 

We’re always looking to improve the accessibility of this website. If you find any problems that aren’t listed on this page or if you think we’re not meeting accessibility requirements, contact us.

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

This website complies partially with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.2 AA standard. The parts that don’t comply are listed below.

Non-accessible content

Forms

Our forms are built and hosted through third-party software. We have limited control over the code of these forms and their level of accessibility conformance may vary, particularly in relation to WCAG 2.2 success criterion 1.3.1 (information and relationships).

We’ve assessed the cost of building these forms in house and believe that doing so would be a disproportionate burden according to the accessibility regulations. However, we have made the supplier aware of their accessibility issues and they have committed to fixing them where possible.

How we tested this website

We commissioned Tetralogical to conduct an accessibility audit of this website in June 2021. They discovered:

  • 50 low severity issues, 43 of which have been fixed.
  • 64 medium severity issues, 60 of which have been fixed.
  • 15 high severity issues, all of which have been fixed.
  • 3 critical severity issues, all of which have been fixed.

What we’re doing to improve accessibility

We work continuously to fix all remaining accessibility issues, with a focus on the highest severity.

This statement was prepared in December 2019, and updated in February 2022 and February 2025.

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