December 2013

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 015
Responsible Officer / Sheila Finnigan-Jones
e-mail address /
Full job title / Head of Service Learning Disability
Title of Proposal or Policy / Remodelling of Day & Work Opportunities
Rationale:
Why is it being considered?
What need is being addressed? / Day and Work Opportunities 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. A more outcome focused /progression approach is required to ensure that individuals are afforded opportunities to develop skills to move towards independence and community inclusion.
The challenge for the Department is how to meet increased and 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.
Aim:
What is the intended outcome of the proposal / policy? / It is proposed that the service further develops its services to offer support in two ways.
Firstly therapeutic support to provide individuals who have profound and multiple needs with an environment that suits their individual needs and offers those with complex needs the opportunity for a rage of options to enable them to have more choice and take an active part in their community life. This would involve a range of therapeutic interventions. Secondly a progression model promoting independence, daily living skills, social inclusion, skills training so enabling individuals to have more choice and control of their lives.
The proposal for this reshaping is for the Work Opportunities service to become a more sustainable service provision. The business model adopted is based on a profit making model so that running costs are covered. There is a need for greater flexibility for the businesses to reshape or merge to achieve this. 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.
It is envisaged that this will need to be an on going process as the market fluctuates and each business is faced with the challenge of meeting its financial targets.
To develop alternative business models that offer real work opportunities that are not based within a traditional social care service.
To develop an ‘Independent Living Centre’ model where individuals gain a range of skills enabling them to achieve their maximum independence. For individuals to have a choice of provision and wherever possible to remain in their local community.
Those with complex needs will continue to require intensive interaction and sensory experiences/therapies to assist physical health & wellbeing and individual success.
How:
How will it be delivered, by whom and by when? / In order to meet demand in the long term, alternative models for creating sustainable business opportunities will also be explored such as The Social Enterprise Model and Arms Length trading. These models afford the opportunity in the long term to develop businesses that can become independent of the local authority offering job opportunities/experience for individuals in their local communities so promoting choice, control and social inclusion.
It is proposed that the service further develops its services to move towards an ‘Independent Living Centre’ model where individuals gain a range of skills enabling them to achieve their maximum independence and lead to support provided by CIT to enable people into community activity and to develop natural support networks. Those with complex needs will continue to require intensive interaction and sensory experiences/therapies to assist physical health & wellbeing and individual success.
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? / Primarily people with learning disability, PSNI and mental health issues will be affected by the policy, as these are the primary users of day and work opportunities.
To be developed as part of the project plan.
Measures:
How will you know you have achieved your aims?
What are your measures / indicators of success? / Number of people who progress to independence through reduced need for service or not requiring a service.
Number of people with greater inclusion in their community
Increased choice and control
Establishment of a social enterprise
Links to community-based support
Waiting lists for service
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:
·  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

1

December 2013

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 proposal will have a positive or negative affect note: people may have one or more of the protected 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
Q2
Would this discriminate against any of these groups? / NO / N/A / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO / NO
Q3
Would this proposal advance the equality of opportunity for these groups? / + / N/A / + / + / + / + / + / + / + / + / + / + / +
Q4
Would this promote good relations between these groups and the wider community? / + / 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:

·  The project is specifically relates to Day Services for Adults 18+ and therefore it is not envisaged that there will be any impact to for Children & Young People.


If you have indicated a possible negative effect on any Protected Characteristic within the screening tool, please complete the relevant sections 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.

10

December 2013

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 / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Age CYP / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Carers / Carers’ views given in reviews and consultations. / Carers have the experience of the people they care for receiving a 5 full-days a week of care, provided by the authority, at one central location.
Actives will be at a more diverse range of locations within the community and so these may not cover all of the times that the person being cared for was undertaking activity. This may result in the carers having to provide care at different times throughout the week. / Through further consultation and promotion of the proposed new model. / Sheila Finnigan-Jones / N/A / March 2015 / N/A
Age Adult / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Disability / Project plan / Waiting times may increase in the short to medium term
The new model will move to a more flexible delivery of support for the disabled person.
Actives will be more diverse, at a range of locations within the community and so people will receive a service/support with different outcomes than present, moving from providing a central location to promoting social inclusion within the community which may affect the level of service/support. / Risk assessments for individual referrals
Through further consultation and promotion of the social inclusion model / Dave O’Brien & Cheryl Marriott / N/A / Ongoing / N/A
Gender / Sex / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Race/ Ethnicity / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Religion or Belief / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Sexual Orientation / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Marriage and Civil Partnership / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Gender Reassignment / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Welsh Language and Culture / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A
Poverty / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A / N/A

Please respond to the following questions within 12 months of implementation of the proposal: