Equality Impact Assessment FormReference – C25

Department / Children’s Services / Version no / 2.0
Assessed by / Julie Jenkins Assistant Director / Date created / 18.09.13
Approved by / Cindy Peek, Deputy Director / Date approved / 27.09.13
Updated by / Julie Jenkins Assistant Director / Date updated / 16.10.13
Final approval / Cindy Peek, Deputy Director / Date signed off / 16.10.13

Section 1: What is being assessed?

1.1Name of proposal to be assessed:

Prevention and Support Services - Reconfiguration of Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMH’s)

1.2Describe the proposal under assessment and what change it would result in if implemented:

Make better use of Public Health grant and reconfigure Children’s mental health services to better meet needs in the community.

The proposal is to remodel the CAMHS service to better meet the needs of young people in the community rather than a medicalised health appointment model. It would require a full review of all service provision to prioritise children in care and other vulnerable groups who do not have ease of access to services.

Section 2: Whatthe impact of the proposal islikely to be

TheEquality Act 2010 requires the Council to have due regard to the need to-

  • eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation;
  • advance equality of opportunity between different groups; and
  • foster good relations between different groups

2.1Describe the positive, negative or disproportionate impacts that could result from your proposal on people who share a protected characteristic.

There could be a potential impact on young people with emotional/mental health difficulties as the proposed changes to the services are implemented. The proposal is designed to move the service to a community based model, rather than a medical health appointment model, which will reduce stigma for the individual young person, and to focus the service on the most deprived communities.

The changes would need to be carefully managed to ensure there is no disproportionate impact on the most vulnerable who cannot access other voluntary and community resources.

2.2 Please indicate the level of negative impact on each of the protected characteristics?

Protected Characteristics: / Impact
(H,M, L, N)
Age / H
Disability / H
Gender reassignment / L
Race / L
Religion/Belief / N
Pregnancy and maternity / N
Sexual Orientation / H
Sex / N
Marriage and civil partnership / N
Additional consideration:
Low income/low wage / N

2.3How might this proposal support equality of opportunity for people who share a protected characteristic and/or foster good relations between people who share a protected characteristic and those who do not?

Not applicable.

2.4How could negative effectsbe mitigated or eliminated, particularly where there are disproportionately negative impacts on any of the protected characteristics?

To mitigate against the potential impact on young people with mental health or emotional difficulties, the children’s commissioning team will ensure that the systems, procedures and quality checks are consistent across the statutory and voluntary and sector delivery. Directly delivering Child and Adolescent Mental Health services through children's services will help ensure that reduced resources are targeted at areas of greatest need within communities

Directly delivering CAMH’s services through children’s services in the council will help to ensure that the reduced resource available is targeted at the areas of greatest need within communities. Social workers at the assessment stage will identify emerging issues within families and target resource.

Working with the Clinical Commissioning Groups with a central commissioning budget will ensure that specific and emerging longer term problems, which may be disproportionate in particular areas of the district, can be provisioned. This will involve strengthening the relationship with voluntary and third sector providers and building capacity to deliver within these organisations, where this is required.

Section 3: What evidence you have used?

3.1What evidence do you hold to back up this assessment?

  • Joint Strategic Needs Assessment
  • CAMHS Strategy 2012-2013
  • Children and Young Peoples Plan
  • NHS national Service framework

3.2Do you need further evidence?

None required

Section 4: Consultation Feedback

4.1Results from any previous consultations

4.2Feedback from current consultation

4.3Your departmental response to this feedback – include any changes made to the proposal as a result of the feedback

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