As a parent or carer of a child with special educational needs or disabilities, you may face unique challenges in the workplace. Understanding your rights and protections under employment law is crucial.
The Equality Act 2010 provides a framework to prevent discrimination against individuals with protected characteristics. One important aspect of this legislation is associative discrimination, which can affect you as a parent or carer.

What is Discrimination?
Discrimination occurs when someone is treated unfairly due to a protected characteristic. The nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 are:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender reassignment
- Marriage and civil partnership
- Pregnancy and maternity
- Race
- Religion and belief
- Sex
- Sexual orientation
What is Associative Discrimination?
Associative discrimination is a form of discrimination where the treatment the employee is exposed to isn’t due to them having the relevant protected characteristic, but someone they associate with. Associative discrimination doesn’t apply to all types of discrimination but it does apply for direct discrimination, indirect discrimination and harassment.. This was confirmed in the Coleman v Attridge Law case in the European Court of Justice.
Examples of Associative Discrimination
A good example of associative (direct) discrimination in the field of parenting a child with special educational needs would be being promised a promotion which is then removed following your disclosure that your child has additional needs, as the management feel you would not be able to cope with the additional responsibility. We see this happen a lot to the families we support.

Protecting Yourself
To protect yourself and your child from associative discrimination, consider the following steps:
- Familiarize yourself with your rights under the Equality Act 2010.
- Keep records of any discriminatory incidents or conversations.
- Seek advice from HR or legal professionals if you believe you have been discriminated against.
- Consider attending webinars or workshops on employment law and discrimination (we have one for you!)
Conclusion
As a parent or carer of a disabled child, it’s essential to be aware of your rights under employment law. Associative discrimination is a real concern, but with knowledge and proactive steps, you can protect yourself and your child from unfair treatment in the workplace.
We previously held a popular webinar on “Understanding Associative Discrimination and Employment Law” hosted by Precept HR, an award winning, leading HR and Legal Service specialising in employment law. This topic is vital for all parents and carers of children with special educational needs and disabilities, and we’re pleased to share that we’ll be holding an upcoming webinar on this topic once again.
Coming soon: Understanding Disability Discrimination

Join our webinar, “Understanding Disability Discrimination,” to learn about the definition of disability, different types of discrimination, and your rights under the Equality Act.
We’ll be working with 3PB Barristers to discuss common challenges in schools, workplaces, and public services, and provide practical tips for fostering inclusive environments. Using real-life case studies, we will demonstrate how to effectively prevent discrimination and ensure diversity and inclusion is promoted.
This webinar will cover the following:
Understanding Disability Discrimination:
– What is definition of “disabled” and what does it mean?
– Understanding the types of discrimination – direct and indirect discrimination, discrimination arising from disability, victimisation, harassment, and the failure to make reasonable adjustments.
– Understanding the Equality Act and EHRC Technical Guidance
Discrimination in Schools and Universities:
– Where do problems commonly arise?
– What to do when things go wrong.
– How can we prevent discrimination in these settings?
Discrimination in the workplace:
– Where do problems commonly arise?
– What to do when things go wrong.
– How can we prevent discrimination in these settings?
Discrimination by service providers:
– Where do problems commonly arise?
– What to do when things go wrong.
– How can we prevent discrimination in these settings?
Promoting Inclusion and Accessibility:
– Explore strategies for creating inclusive environments and fostering a workplace or school culture that values diversity.
Case Studies and Real-Life Examples
– The good, the bad and the ugly!
As always there will be time for questions throughout the presentation.
Slides, references and CPD certificates will be available to attendees along with a recording to watch again for up to 30 days afterwards.
Our online events are be recorded for ticketholders. If you miss booking a ticket you can watch the webinar again at a time that suits you on our Sunshine Academy, our one-stop online portal for SEND information and education.