Equality Impact Analysis Template

Equality Impact Analysis (EqIA) (or Equality Impact Assessment) aims to make services and public policy better for all service-users and staff and supports value for money by getting council services right first time.

We use EqIAs to enable us to consider all relevant information from an Equality requirements perspective when procuring or restructuring a service, or introducing a new policy or strategy. This analysis of impacts is then reflected in the relevant action plan to get the best outcomes for the Council, its staff and service-users.

EqIAs are used to analyse and assess how the Council’s work might impact differently on different groups of people. EqIAs help the Council to make good decisions for its service-users, staff and residents and provide evidence that those decision conform with the Council’s obligations under the Equality Act 2010.

This template sets out the steps you need to take to complete an EqIA for your project. If you have any questions about your EqIA and/or how to complete this form, please use the contact details at the end of this form.

Title of Project/Service/Policy	Disability Children’s Homes: Sorrel Drive – Adaptations
Team/Department	Children’s Disability Service
Directorate	Children’s Services
Provide a comprehensive description of your Project (Service/Policy, etc.) including its Purpose and Scope	Since 2014 the Children’s Disability Service has experienced an increase in demand for residential overnight care for disabled children because of an increase in the numbers of disabled children and increasing complexity of their needs. These increases have put pressure on the availability of residential beds in the existing Children’s Homes that the Council owns and operates. This project aims to provide more residential beds to disabled children at the Sorrel Drive (The Bungalow) Children’s home.   There are currently 7 residential beds at the open plan Bungalow at Sorrel Drive. The local authority is seeking to improve the configuration of the Bungalow at Sorrel Drive and expand the accommodation so that more children can be accommodated safely. The project will deliver: · Part A – Create 1 new single person area bed area for long term overnight residential care developed in an area of Sorrel Drive adjoining the Bungalow (current children’s home).  · Part B – Remodel part of the current Bungalow including a small extension to facilitate the safe long-term placement of a more diverse mix of Children and Young People within the same children’s home.

Initial assessment of whether your project requires an EqIA

When answering these questions, please keep in mind all legally protected equality characteristics (sex/gender, gender reassignment, religion or belief, age, disability, ethnicity/race, sexual orientation, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity) of the people actually or potentially receiving and benefiting from the services or the policy.  

In particular consider whether there are any potential equality related barriers that people may experience when getting to know about, accessing or receiving the service or the policy to be introduced or changed.      

Discuss the results of your Equality assessment with the Equality Lead for your department and agree whether improvements or changes need to be made to any aspect of your Project.

	Question	Yes	No	Don’t Know
1	Is there evidence of different needs, experiences, issues or priorities on the basis of the equality characteristics (listed below) in relation to the service or policy/strategy area?	√
2	Are there any proposed changes in the service/policy that may affect how services are run and/or used or the ways the policy will impact different groups?		√
3	Are there any proposed changes in the service/policy that may affect service-users/staff/residents directly?	√
4	Is there potential for, or evidence that, the service/policy may adversely affect inclusiveness or harm good relations between different groups of people?		√
5	Is there any potential for, or evidence that any part of the service/aspects of the policy could have a direct or indirect discriminatory effect on service-users/staff/residents ?		√
6	Is there any stakeholder (Council staff, residents, trade unions, service-users, VCSE organisations) concerned about actual, potential, or perceived discrimination/unequal treatment  in the service or the Policy on the basis of the equality characteristics set out above that may lead to taking legal action against the Council?		√
7	Is there any evidence or indication of higher or lower uptake of the service by, or the impact of the policy on, people who share the equality characteristics set out above?		√

If you have answered “YES” or “DON’T KNOW” to any of the questions above, then the completion of an EqIA is necessary.

The need for an EqIA will depend on:

· How many questions you have answered “yes”, or “don’t know” to;

· The likelihood of the Council facing legal action in relation to the effects of service or the policy may have on groups sharing protected characteristics; and

· The likelihood of adverse publicity and reputational damage for the Council.

Low risk	Medium risk	High risk
The proposal will lead to improvements in the service that can be provided to disabled children that need residential care, as more children who require this support will be able to access it. Feedback from parents and carers through the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) August 2021 and from East Sussex Parent and Carer Forum clearly sets out the demand for more residential provision. This proposal responds directly to this identified need and feedback.

1. Update on previous EqIAs and outcomes of previous actions (if applicable)

What actions did you plan last time? (List them from the previous EqIA)	What improved as a result? What outcomes have these actions achieved?	What further actions do you need to take? (add these to the Action Plan below)
No previous EqIA

2. Review of information, equality analysis and potential actions

Consider the actual or potential impact of your project (service, or policy) against each of the equality characteristics.

Protected characteristics groups under the Equality Act 2010	What do you know? Summary of data about your service-users and/or staff	What do people tell you? Summary of service-user and/or staff feedback	What does this mean? Impacts identified from data and feedback (actual and potential)	What can you do? All potential actions to: · advance equality of opportunity, · eliminate discrimination, and · foster good relations
Age	Provision is for up to 18 years. There is no change to this age range.	Changes respond to needs identified by all stakeholders.	The new provision allows us to offer accommodation in-county for young people with more complex needs. Potentially it could also be use for transition preparation. There is some reduction in outside space to access, but there is still sufficient.	There are potential benefits here for young people who need more of their own space and who are approaching transition period. No negative impacts are identified and no additional actions are required.
Disability	Provision is for learning and physical disability.	As for Age above.	As for Age above. The physical environment in the new blocks with be more appropriate to disabled children.	As for Age above. There are benefits to young people and their families of more availability of specialist provision.
Gender reassignment	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Pregnancy and maternity	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Race/ethnicity Including migrants, refugees and asylum seekers	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Religion or belief	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Sex/Gender	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Sexual orientation	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Marriage and civil partnership	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Impacts on community cohesion		Consultation has taken place with neighbours and this has informed the build plans.	Work is ongoing to take account of neighbours’ views and experiences.	Continue working with neighbours to understand and respond to views, where possible.

Additional categories

(identified locally as potentially causing / worsening inequality)

Characteristic	What do you know?	What do people tell you?	What does this mean?	What can you do?
Rurality	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Carers			Opportunity to vary provision for young people will benefit carers.	Actions are embedded in plans.
Other groups that may be differently affected (including but not only: homeless people, substance users, care leavers – see end note)	No disproportionate impacts are identified.			No specific actions are needed.
Assessment of overall impacts and any further recommendations - include assessment of cumulative impacts (where a change in one service/policy/project may have an impact on another)
This proposal will reduce the numbers of young people needing to be placed out of county.

3. List detailed data and/or community feedback that informed your EqIA

Source and type of data (e.g. research, or direct engagement (interviews), responses to questionnaires, etc.)	Date	Gaps in data	Actions to fill these gaps: who else do you need to engage with? (add these to the Action Plan below, with a timeframe)
Feedback from parents and carers through the Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) August 2021	August 2021	None identified	None needed
Feedback from East Sussex Parent and Carer Forum clearly sets out the demand for more residential provision.	September 2021 – November 2022	None identified	None needed

4.      Prioritised Action Plan

NB: These actions must now be transferred to service or business plans and monitored to ensure they achieve the outcomes identified.

Impact identified and group(s) affected	Action planned	Expected outcome	Measure of success	Timeframe
All actions are built into current plans.
(Add more rows as needed)

EqIA sign-off: (for the EqIA to be final an email must be sent from the relevant people agreeing it, or this section must be signed)

Staff member competing Equality Impact Analysis: Fiona Lewis                                     Date: 25^th November 2022

Directorate Management Team rep or Head of Service:                                                                Date:

Equality lead:                                                                                  Sarah Tighe-Ford                           Date: 25^th November 2022