Equality Action Plan
2013-2018

What we did between April 2015andMarch 2016

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Table 1: Equalityaction plan

Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
Action Point / Intended Outcome / Performance Indicator / By who and By when
Implement accessible information for all policies and procedures geared at safeguarding and protecting children and young people. To include:
Timely accurate and child friendly information (which is accessible to all children including those with sensory and learning disabilities), should be provided before, during and after all occasions to promote communication between children and young persons and SBNI. This should include information about what is being asked of them, who is involved in the process and how decisions should be made, including feedback of their involvement on SBNI decisions.
Alternative formats as required,for example,Key publications are translated into languages, the use of Plain English, Easy Read and pictures and diagrams where possible.
Standard font Arial, size 14 is used in publications where possible.
Link to Strategic Priority 3 ‘Working in Partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability’ and cross-cutting / Access to information is improved for children and parents / carers / professionals
Children and young people with sensory and learning disabilities and children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds have equal access to information / Policy in place
Positive feedback from children and young people with a disability and from black and minority ethnic children on accessibility of information / Policy and Procedures,
On-going with development of policy by April 2017
What we did over the last year
In relation to the Child Sexual Exploitation Campaign safeguarding information was provided in 5 languages; Slovakian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Lithuanian, and Spanish. This information provides access to Helplines for children and young people and parents and carers. The SBNI website highlights that any other accessible format can be provided on request. A Children and Young Person’s version of the Thematic Review into Child Sexual Exploitation was provided online. It was produced with the assistance of Participation Network.
Complete equality impact screening on all policies and procedures linked to the Strategic Plan. / Equality impacts identified
and mitigation in place. / screening completed and EQIA’s undertaken where deemed necessary. / Policy and Procedures Committee –
On-going
Internal Policies – Director of Operations Year 1
What we did over the last year
SBNI did not conduct any screenings in this period, as noted elsewhere in this return a significant body of work in terms of reviewing policies and procedures will take place in 16/17 and screening and the appropriate consultation with Children and Young People will be undertaken.
Review SBNI engagement with children and young people to date to identify whose voices are less likely to have been heard (including very young children, those with sensory and learning disabilities, those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender).
Link to Strategic Priority 3 ‘Working in Partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability’ and cross-cutting / Section 75 groups of children and young people whose voices are easily ignored are identified. / . / Year 1 and annually
What we did over the last year
This was reviewed in 13/14 and as such was not undertaken in this review period for 15/16. However it is part of how SBNI delivers on the Business Plan for 16/17 and as such will be reported on in the next return.
Arrange face to face discussions with Section 75 groups of children and young people on child protection and safeguarding issues as identified within the SBNI Strategic Plan – particular focusing on those children adversely affected.
Target groups of children whose voices are easily ignored (including very young children, those with sensory and learning disabilities, those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender) to explore their views.
Link to Strategic Priority 3 ‘Working in Partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability’ and cross-cutting / Ascertain the views of children and young people regarding child protection and safeguarding issues with a view to informing SBNI policies and procedures and action to address their specific needs.
Section 75 groups of children and young people whose voices are easily ignored are heard. / Achieve target of 2 discussion sessions per year. / Engagement and Communication Committee
What we did over the last year
This was not undertaken in 2015- 2016 due to work undertaken in relation to child Sexual Exploitation. It is howver part of the deliverable of the 16 17 Business Plan
Use statistical data provided by HSCB to inform SBNI of those groups who are adversely affected in relation to safeguarding and child protection. / Identification of adversely affected groups. / SBNI member agencies addressing those children adversely affected. / Policy and Procedures and Committee –
Ongoing upon publication of yearly statistical data.
What we did over the last year
The section 12 audit was amended and an on-line version was developed. The information from this data was used to give an overview of the safeguarding system and informed the SBNI Business Plan. This information was included in the SBNI Annual Report which was made available on the SBNI Website.
Put in place a mechanism to ensure that the voice of the child is heard in relation to Case Management Reviews (including very young children, those with sensory and learning disabilities, those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender).
Link to Strategic Priority 1 ‘Driving improvements in the current child protection system’ / Lessons arising from CMRs will focus on learning arising from the child’s journey through the child protection, safeguarding system and take into account the diversity of journeys of different Section 75 groups of children. / CMR reports clearly identify the lessons to take forward on ensuring the child remains at the focus of child protection, safeguarding practice. / CMR Panel
On-going when a CMR has been commissioned.
What we did over the last year
SBNI have reviewed CMR Reports to ensure the voice of the child was reflected within the reports. Young people who were involved in the CMR process have been engaged with as appropriate to their age.
SBNI will seek assurance from member agencies on how the objective of promoting communication with children and young people has been met with particular reference to Section 75 groups of children and young people whose voices are easily ignored (including very young children, those with sensory and learning disabilities, those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender).
Link to Strategic Priority 3 ‘Working in Partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability’ and cross-cutting / Ensuring that children’s views and opinions are considered within the child protection and safeguarding system.
Section 75 groups of children and young people whose voices are easily ignored are heard by member agencies. / Self-Audit information from member agencies. / Annually.
What we did over the last year
This information was collected as part of the Section 12 Audit.
Ensure that feedback is provided to children and young persons with who the SBNI has engaged, telling them the outcome of their involvement and the extent to which their views, ideas and experience were or were not taken on board and why.
Link to Strategic Priority 3 ‘Working in Partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability’ and cross-cutting / Ensuring that children’s views and opinions are considered within the child protection and safeguarding system and they remain engaged in the process. / Feedback exercises from children and young people.
What we did over the last year
The Thematic Review young person’s version continues to be used to feedback to children and young people on the extent to which their view, ideas and experiences had been taken on board.
The SBNI also funded the publication of a DVD called ‘False Freedom’ created by young people who are experts by experience of Child Sexual Exploitation. This DVD was written and acted in by these young people in order to raise awareness amongst other children and young people.
Identify new methods of communication strategies aimed particularly at groups whose voices are easily ignored (including children – in particular those with sensory and learning disabilities, those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and young people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender-, parents and carers).
Link to Strategic Priority 3 ‘Working in Partnership to ensure children and young people are living in safety and with stability’ and cross-cutting / To work with, voluntary, statutory,sectors and member agencies to identify appropriatemethods of communication.
Children and young people with sensory and learning disabilities and children from black and minority ethnic backgrounds have equal access to information and Section 75 groups of children and young people, parents and carers whose voices are easily ignored are heard. / Groups whose voices are easily ignored are identified andappropriate methods ofcommunication in place. / Ongoing.
What we did over the last year
This is on-going. The engagement strategy which had been approved by the SBNI had to be put on a temporary hold. SBNI is planning to progress this area of work and to appoint a communications/engagement manager in order to take this work forward as part of the 16/17 Business Plan
Meeting section 75-related needs of staff
Work with PHA, BSO and partner organisations to develop a line manager guide on reasonable adjustments for staff from a range of Section 75 groups. / Increased capacity of line managers to identify and respond to the range of Section 75 needs of their staff.
Staff feel that their needs are being met. / resource produced / Director of Operations with support from BSO Equality Unit.
What we did over the last year
This action is ongoing
Section 75 monitoring
Work with PHA, BSO and partner organisations to develop communication strategy for staff on rationale for collecting data. / Robust data is in place to allow assessment of impacts and developing targeted actions. / Communication strategy developed. / Director of Operations with support from BSO Equality Unit
What we did over the last year
This action is ongoing.

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