Version 3
Children’s Services Equalities Action Plan No. 2
Period - 1 April 2012 – 31 March 2013
Introduction
1Equality Action Plan
This Action Plan is the second equality action plan developed by Children’s Services and will start 1 April 2012 ending 31 March 2013 when a fresh plan for 2013 – 14 will be development.
The plan identifies key pieces of work Children’s Services need to achieve in order to meet the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED) to be complaint with the Equality Act 2010.
2The Equality Act (2010)
The Equality Act replaces existing anti-discrimination laws with a single act. The Act includes the concept of a ‘protected characteristic’. This is a characteristic of a person that protects them from discrimination, unfair treatment, harassment or victimisation. There are nine protected characteristics recognised by the Equality Act:
- Gender, Maternity, Marital Status and Transgender
- Age
- Disability
- Ethnicity
- Religion and belief
- Gender
- Sexual Orientation
3The Public Sector Equality Duty
Section 149 of the Equality Act places an additional set of requirements upon public bodies, known as the Public Sector Equality Duty. This is made up of a general equality duty which is supported by specific duties.
The general equality duty requirespublic authorities, in the exercise of their functions, to have due regard to the need to:
- Eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation and any other conduct that is prohibited by or under the Act.
- Advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and people who do not share it.
- Foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not share it.
4Specific Duty
The specific duty requires public authorities to publish information on the effects of their services and employment on people who share a protected characteristic by 31 January 2012. Publish information on how the organisation engages with people protected by the Equality Act and publish Equality Objectives by 6 April 2012, (see separate Equality Objectives document) ensuring that the objectives are specific and measurable and setting out how progress towards the objectives will be measured.
5Equality Impact Assessments
As a public body we must publish evidence of analysis we undertake to establish whether our policies and practises would further or have furthered the aims of the Equality Duty, this must include details of engagement we have undertaken.
EIA’s have been embedded into standard practise within the authority and corporately we have agreed to carry on using this approach to do our analysis. Under the PSED you will see this referred to as ‘Analysis of the Effects on Equality’.
An EIA of the CS Directorate Plan 2012 has recently been completed and will be used to inform the 3 Functional Equality Impact Assessment’s as follows:
- Strategy and Commissioning;
- Children and Families;
- Schools and Learning.
This new approach in developing functional EIA’s will cut down on the number of EIA’s the authority has to do and ultimately will support service delivery by providing good quality analysis and evidence.
A number of Service EIA’s are planned during 2012 and will be included within the EIA schedule.
Bespoke EIA’s will be done when required these will also be included within the EIA schedule.
The EIA schedule is a working document and will be updated as required.
6. Equality Objectives
The purpose of setting objectives is to strengthen our performance of the general equality duty. The process of developing and setting objectives for both our internal and external functions ensuring progress is made towards them will enable us to focus on achieving specific outcomes and demonstrating compliance with the equality duty. This is a legal requirement but will encourage outcome-focussed measurable targets to improve service outcomes. It will also demonstrate our transparency.
Equality objectives have been agreed and will be embedded into service planning from 2012. The objectives last 4 years and action plan to support the work around the objectives will be developed.
NB. There is no set number of objectives that we are required to set.
See Appendix B for Children’s Services Equality Objective 2012 – 2016
7.Training
As part of the PSED setting Equality objectives and the refresh of Equality For All an objective has been agreed that 75% of staff will have had some form of equality training by March 2013.
For further information on training events or to book a place on an event you can contact Allyson Carty 07554438474.
7aStaff Engagement Programme
Children’s Services has been rolling out a train the trainer programme to endeavour to engage face to face with all CS staff, allowing their participation and gathering vital information to inform EIA’s during 2012.
7bE-Learning Programme
An e-learning programme is available this is mandatory for all staff. During 2012 staff will be encouraged to complete the training.
7cEquality Team Briefs
The approach to raise the profile of equality has been agreed with Workforce Development. Equality will appear at regular agreed intervals in team briefs.
7dEquality Impact Assessment Training and Equality Surgeries
EIA training and Equality Surgeries will be delivered on a corporate basis. Dates will be available via CS Equality web pages. EIA surgeries will support staff to carry out their EIA’s. Staff will be encouraged to take their EIA’s along for discussion.
7eEquality Works
Available to managers across Children’s Services.
8Equality Awareness, Training and Commissioned Providers
To ensure commissioned providers meet the PSED. It is planned to build equality into commissioning prior to and post tender evaluation to ensure commissioned services are complaint with the Equality Act 2010.
Documents Appended;
Appendix A - EIA Schedule
Appendix B - Equality Objectives 2012 - 2016
Partnership Development and Participation Team Allyson Carty Updated June 2012