Easy Read is for Adults - Let’s Treat It That Way

When people think of Easy Read documents, they often assume they should be childlike, as if simplifying language automatically means simplifying the reader. But here’s the reality:

• Easy Read is for adults.

• The topics covered in Easy Read are for adults.

• The people reading Easy Read deserve to be treated as adults.

At IC Works, our experts by experience—adults with learning disabilities, autism, or language comprehension challenges—tell us time and again that many Easy Read documents feel patronising, unnecessarily childish, and even insulting.

This isn’t just about a bad choice of words or images—it’s about respect.

How Easy Read is Often Done Wrong

Too many Easy Read documents are created using a basic, box-ticking approach, assuming that removing jargon, breaking text into short sentences, and adding pictures make a document accessible.

The ‘standard method’ usually follows these steps:

• Simplify the original text, removing jargon

• Break the text into single-sentence paragraphs

• Put a relevant illustrative picture to the left of each paragraph

But here’s the problem: none of these steps guarantee that the document is actually clear to the reader.

• Simplified language can still be confusing if it’s stripped of too much meaning

• Breaking text into one-sentence chunks doesn’t ensure understanding

• Adding images doesn’t help if they’re irrelevant, generic, or patronising

Even worse, many Easy Read materials rely on cartoonish, childlike imagery, making adults feel talked down to rather than informed.

What Easy Read Should Be Instead

At ic-works, we believe Easy Read isn’t just about simplifying text—it’s about ensuring the reader fully understands the message while being treated with dignity.

Here’s how we ensure Easy Read works for adults:

• Co-production with adults who use Easy Read
  Instead of assuming what works, we involve experts by experience who tell us if the text and images actually make sense.

• Clear, respectful language
  We simplify wording without stripping away meaning or making it sound patronising.

• Thoughtful image selection
  We pick images that reinforce understanding, not images that make adults feel like reading a children’s book.

• Respect for the subject matter
  Most Easy Read documents cover serious topics, from healthcare to employment to legal rights. The language and visuals need to reflect the importance of the information while still being accessible.

Easy Read is About Inclusion, Not Infantilisation

Creating an Easy Read document isn’t just about making words shorter or adding pictures—it’s about ensuring the reader feels valued and respected while being able to fully understand the message.

At IC Works, we don’t produce Easy Read that talks down to people. We create documents that give every adult the information they need in a way that works for them.

If you want Easy Read materials that treat your audience with the respect they deserve, please get in touch with us because simplifying information shouldn’t mean simplifying people.