Equality Impact Assessment: Are We Being Fair?

Compulsory for all proposals

Throughout this document we use the word ‘proposal’ to refer to what we are assessing. In this context, the term includes the different things that we do, including strategies, functions, procedures, practices, policies, initiatives and projects.

Wrexham County Borough Council has developed this template with support from the Equality and Human Rights Commission template and the Welsh Local Government Association.

This template covers all equality assessment needs from initial screening to a full Impact Assessment, by following the 6 steps:

1. Screening the equality needs of the proposal

2. Data collection and evidence

3. Involvement and consultation

4. Assessing impact and strengthening the proposal

5. Procurement and partnerships

6. Monitoring, evaluating and reviewing

The aim of an equality impact assessment (EIA) is to ensure that equality issues have been consciously considered throughout the decision making processes of the work we do.

The EIA highlights any areas of risk and maximises the benefits of proposals in terms of equality. It therefore helps to ensure we have considered everyone who might be affected by the proposal. It also helps us to meet our legal responsibilities under the general equality duties (Single Equality Act 2010).There is also a requirement under Human Rights legislation for Local Authorities to consider Human Rights in developing proposals.

Our approach to EIAs will help us to strengthen our work to promote equality. It will also help to identify and address any potential discriminatory effects before introducing something new or changing the way we work and reduce the risk of potential legal challenges.

When carrying out an EIA you should consider both the positive and negative consequences of your proposals. If a project is designed for a specific group e.g. disabled people, you also need to think about what potential effects it could have on other areas of equality e.g. young people with a disability, BME people with a disability.

Department / Adult Social Care
Departmental reference number for this EIA [Please contact HoD secretary] / ASC / EIA 027
Responsible Officer / Shelia Finnigan Jones
e-mail address /
Full job title / Head of Service Learning Disability
Title of Proposal or Policy / Adults Social Care Staff Review - this accompanies ASC / EIA 026 Staff Review and links to ASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities
Rationale:
Why is it being considered?
What need is being addressed? / Day and Work Opps has reshaped over a number of years to move away from traditional models of support for people with disabilities to offer more choice and opportunity to individuals to support progression, social inclusion, access to work and education. A continuation of reshaping is required to focus more on enablement to promote independence and inclusion. Further details of this are in ASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities.
The challenge for the Department is how to meet this increased, more complex demand without increased resources and how to effectively manage the impact of reduced funding. It is clear that Adult Social Care must respond with significant increases in effectiveness and delivery, but with resources that are more limited.
Alongside this, the authority enabled employees to apply for Voluntary Early Retirement (VER) and employees from CIT have submitted applications.
Aim:
What is the intended outcome of the proposal / policy? / It is proposed that the service further develops to offer support in two ways which are outlined in ASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities.
The proposal for this reshaping is for the Work Opportunities service to become a more sustainable service provision. For those businesses where it is likely that they will not be sustainable the plan will consider if the businesses can continue in a revised structure or if there is a need for a re-provision or merge with other businesses.
The submission of the VER applications from the employees within CIT, would, if granted facilitate the sustainability of the changes within the structure of the services, whilst at the same time ensuring that VER / HR processes and procedures are followed to ensure an equitable outcome.
How:
How will it be delivered, by whom and by when? / Whilst the process for the changes to the delivery of services is outlined in ASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities, it is proposed that HR processes are used to proceed with the VER request and further consideration given to the impact on the remaining staff to deliver existing and future services
Who:
Who are the people likely to be affected by this proposal or policy?
How have you consulted with the people who are likely to be affected? / Service users effectedand consultation with them is outlined in ASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities, however, in the respect of the employees:
  • The individuals requesting VER
  • The Team Manager of the employees requesting VER
  • the remaining team of the employees requesting VER
  • service users
Consultation undertaken with staff will follow HR / VER processes and procedures and VER processes. Consultation will be undertaken with service users as part of the project plan outlined in ASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities.
Measures:
How will you know you have achieved your aims?
What are your measures / indicators of success? /
  • Services are reshaped and delivered as required by the needs of service users
  • VER process correctly followed
  • Budget savings achieved

Identify any other policy or decision [internal or external] that may affect your proposal.
Consider this in terms of:
  • Statutory requirements; local policies e.g. WCBC Housing Policy;
  • Regional decisions e.g. those made by cross county partnerships for your sector e.g. North Wales Chief Officers Board; and / or
  • National policies e.g. Welfare Reforms
/ The Council’s Reshaping services programme particularly:
  • Council Revenue Budget and related policies
  • HR Policies
  • VER Procedures Processes
  • Transport Review
  • Library Review
  • Community Centre Review
  • Re organisation of Assets and Economic Development
  • Reduction in supporting people funding
National Policies
  • Reduction in Independent Living Fund
  • Changes to Welfare Benefits
  • Changes to CHC/joint funding policies

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Screening Tool

As part of our Annual Equality Return we have to evidence what we have actively done to support people with Protected Characteristics who receive our services. We also have to evidence what we are doing to reduce any negative impact.

Note: Poverty and Welsh language and culture are not protected characteristics but we have included them because they are important considerations.

Please place a ‘+’ or ‘-‘symbol in every box to indicate whether your proposalwill have a positive or negative affect note: people may have one or more of theprotected characteristics. If there is no impact at all place ‘n/a’. If there is a positive and negative effect indicate both i.e.. ‘+/-‘:

Carers / Age
CYP / Age
Adults 18+ / Disability / Gender / Sex / Pregnancy and Maternity / Race/ Ethnicity / Religion or Belief / Sexual Orientation / Marriage and Civil Partnership / Gender Re assignment / Poverty / Welsh language / culture
Q1
Would this proposal significantly affect how functions are delivered to any of these groups? / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Q2
Would this discriminate against any of these groups? / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/- / +/-
Q3
Would this proposal advance the equality of opportunity for these groups? / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Q4
Would this promote good relations between these groups and the wider community? / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A

Where you have identified a positive impact (+) in the Screening Tool, please outline this briefly using bullet points:

Where you have identified no impact (n/a) in the Screening Tool, please outline this briefly using bullet points:

If you have indicated a possible negative effect on any Protected Characteristic within the screening tool, please complete therelevantsections of the Matrix below that correspond to that possible negative effect. You will need to consider:

  • What is the likely scale of the impact and how this can be reduced?
  • Who are the people that are likely to be affected by this proposal, could they experience multiple disadvantage e.g. if they are young and have a disability.

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EIA: Are we being fair?

Please complete the relevant sections of the Matrix below that correspond to any ‘-‘ symbols you have recorded in the screening tool / List what information you have used to identify these issues e.g. consultation, stakeholder involvement, reports, data … / Based on the information you have gathered give a summary of key issues that have been identified. / How will you mitigate these issues to improve the service? / Who is officer responsible for delivering the mitigation? / Which other departments will you work with to achieve this? / By when / Service Plan Reference
Pregnancy and Maternity /
  • Possibility of employees applying for VER in the groups identified being positively or negatively discriminated against in selection.
  • Possibility of employees being granted VER and loss of skills / knowledge
  • Possibility of reduction in employees resulting in reduced services
/
  • The VER proccess has been assessed under EIA (CCS/ EIA010)
  • The VER policy applies to all employees who are employed by Wrexham County Borough Council (excluding teaching staff).
  • VER selection is based on skills for the posts to deliver the service.
  • Impact of service delivery assessed inASC / EIA 15 Remodelling of Day and Employment Opportunities.
  • Staff consultation HR policies and procedures will be followed and VER processes adhered to.
  • Timescales, schedules of work, etc undertaken by the employees taking VER and handover meetings and notes will be made to ensure as much knowledge and information regarding existing processes is captured to continue services.
  • With regards to staff remaining, following the VER process, work / care plans will be distributed by the Team Manager in consultation with the remaining employees.
  • Work of teams will be managed in accordance with the Supervision Policy (already in place) for Adult Social Care which all employees within the department receive.
  • If VER applications are granted (in line with the councils, terms and conditions) the delivery of services to service users; will be monitored to ensure services meet the needs of the most vulnerable.
/ Sheila Finnigan Jones / HR
Finance / Within project plan and VER process timescales
Age CYP
Carers
Age Adult
Disability
Gender / Sex
Race/ Ethnicity
Religion or Belief
Sexual Orientation
Marriage and Civil Partnership
Gender Reassignment
Welsh Language and Culture
Poverty

Please respond to the following questions within12 months of implementation of the proposal:

a) Was any mitigation applied or was the proposal delivered as originally planned prior to the Equality Impact Assessment?

b) Were the intended outcomes of the proposal achieved or were there other results?

c) Were the impacts confined to the people you initially thought would be effected, or were other people affected? How?

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