Annex

City of York Council

Equalities Impact Assessment

Who is submitting the proposal?

 

Directorate:

 

People

Service Area:

 

Education and Skills

Name of the proposal :

 

The SEND Capital Plan

Lead officer:

 

Maxine Squire

Date assessment completed:

 

 

Names of those who contributed to the assessment :

Name                                         

  Job title

Organisation

Area of expertise

Claire McCormick

Planning and Policy Officer

CYC

Capital project management

Alison Kelly

Planning and Policy Officer

CYC

Capital project management

Sarah Moir

School Place Planning Officer

CYC

Sufficiency planning

Lynne Johns

Specialist Teaching Team Manager

 

Education provision for SEND

Dan Bodey

School Inclusion Adviser

 

Education provision for SEND

Mike Barugh

Principal Accountant for Children and Education

CYC

High needs finance

Step 1 – Aims and intended outcomes 

 

 

1.1

What is the purpose of the proposal?

Please explain your proposal in Plain English avoiding acronyms and jargon.

 

To complete a range of capital projects in school buildings to create more appropriate school places for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

 

1.2

Are there any external considerations? (Legislation/government directive/codes of practice etc.)

 

.

The 1996 Education Act, the 2014 Children and Families Act and 2015 SEND code of practice.

 

1.3

Who are the stakeholders and what are their interests? Children and young people, parents and carers

 

 

 

1.4

What results/outcomes do we want to achieve and for whom?  This section should explain what outcomes you want to achieve for service users, staff and/or the wider community. Demonstrate how the proposal links to the Council Plan (2019- 2023) and other corporate strategies and plans.

 

 

 

Step 2 – Gathering the information and feedback 

 

2.1

What sources of data, evidence and consultation feedback do we have to help us understand the impact of the proposal on equality rights and human rights? Please consider a range of sources, including: consultation exercises, surveys, feedback from staff, stakeholders, participants, research reports, the views of equality groups, as well your own experience of working in this area etc.

 Source of data/supporting evidence

Reason for using

The Inclusion Review consultation

 

This was a city -wide consultation involving children and young people, parents and carers and professionals

SEND sufficiency data

 

Provides evidence about the sufficiency of in-city provision and the future demographic trends

 

Step 3 – Gaps in data and knowledge

                                                        

 

3.1

What are the main gaps in information and understanding of the impact of your proposal?  Please indicate how any gaps will be dealt with.

Gaps in data or knowledge

Action to deal with this

It is difficult to accurately predict the number of new Education, health and care plans and also parental preference

 

We are examining existing trends data and also taking action to further develop the graduated response to better support inclusion in mainstream settings and schools.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 4 – Analysing the impacts or effects.

 

4.1

Please consider what the evidence tells you about the likely impact (positive or negative) on people sharing a protected characteristic, i.e. how significant could the impacts be if we did not make any adjustments? Remember the duty is also positive – so please identify where the proposal offers opportunities to promote equality and/or foster good relations.

Equality Groups

and

Human Rights.

Key Findings/Impacts

Positive (+)

Negative (-)

Neutral (0) 

High (H) Medium (M) Low (L)

Age

The proposed capital projects will develop provision across the age range from early years to post 16

+

H

Disability

 

The projects will improve the accessibility and inclusivity of provision in each of the school capital projects

 

+

H

Gender

 

 

 

 

Gender Reassignment

 

 

 

Marriage and civil partnership

 

 

 

Pregnancy

and maternity

 

 

 

Race

 

 

 

Religion

and belief

 

 

 

Sexual

orientation

 

 

 

Other Socio-economic groups including :

Could other socio-economic groups be affected e.g. carers, ex-offenders, low incomes?

 

Carer

 

 

 

Low income

groups

 

 

 

Veterans, Armed Forces Community

 

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

Impact on human rights:

 

 

List any human rights impacted.

The capital projects support the right to education for children and young people with SEND

+

H

 

 

Use the following guidance to inform your responses:

 

Indicate:

-         Where you think that the proposal could have a POSITIVE impact on any of the equality groups like promoting equality and equal opportunities or improving relations within equality groups

-         Where you think that the proposal could have a NEGATIVE impact on any of the equality groups, i.e. it could disadvantage them

-         Where you think that this proposal has a NEUTRAL effect on any of the equality groups listed below i.e. it has no effect currently on equality groups.

 

It is important to remember that a proposal may be highly relevant to one aspect of equality and not relevant to another.

 

 

High impact

(The proposal or process is very equality relevant)

There is significant potential for or evidence of adverse impact

The proposal is institution wide or public facing

The proposal has consequences for or affects significant numbers of people

The proposal has the potential to make a significant contribution to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights.

 

Medium impact

(The proposal or process is somewhat equality relevant)

There is some evidence to suggest potential for or evidence of adverse impact

The proposal is institution wide or across services, but mainly internal

The proposal has consequences for or affects some people

The proposal has the potential to make a contribution to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights

 

Low impact

(The proposal or process might be equality relevant)

There is little evidence to suggest that the proposal could result in adverse impact

The proposal operates in a limited way

The proposal has consequences for or affects few people

The proposal may have the potential to contribute to promoting equality and the exercise of human rights

 

 

 

 

Step 5 - Mitigating adverse impacts and maximising positive impacts

 

5.1

Based on your findings, explain ways you plan to mitigate any unlawful prohibited conduct or unwanted adverse impact. Where positive impacts have been identified, what is been done to optimise opportunities to advance equality or foster good relations?

 

   Each of the capital projects have been designed to improve the access to suitable school places for children and young people with SEND. The proposals to develop additional enhanced resource provision  has been supported by feedback gained through the Inclusion Review consultation.

                                                                       

 

 

Step 6 – Recommendations and conclusions of the assessment

 

 

6.1  

Having considered the potential or actual impacts you should be in a position to make an informed judgement on what should be done. In all cases, document your reasoning that justifies your decision. There are four main options you can take:

-    No major change to the proposal – the EIA demonstrates the proposal is robust.  There is no                     

   potential  for unlawful discrimination or adverse impact and you have taken all opportunities to

   advance equality and foster good relations, subject to continuing monitor and review.

-         Adjust the proposal – the EIA identifies potential problems or missed opportunities. This involves taking steps to remove any barriers, to better advance quality or to foster good relations.

 

-         Continue with the proposal (despite the potential for adverse impact) – you should clearly set out the justifications for doing this and how you believe the decision is compatible with our obligations under the duty

 

-         Stop and remove the proposal – if there are adverse effects that are not justified and cannot be mitigated, you should consider stopping the proposal altogether. If a proposal leads to unlawful discrimination it should be removed or changed.

 

Important: If there are any adverse impacts you cannot mitigate, please provide a compelling reason in the justification column.

Option selected

Conclusions/justification

 

No major change to the proposal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The proposed capital works will deliver the aim of developing additional suitable in-city education provision for children and young people with SEND.

 

 

Step 7 – Summary of agreed actions resulting from the assessment

 

 

7.1

What action, by whom, will be undertaken as a result of the impact assessment.

Impact/issue    

Action to be taken

Person responsible

Timescale

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 8 - Monitor, review and improve

 

8. 1

How will the impact of your proposal be monitored and improved upon going forward?   Consider how will you identify the impact of activities on protected characteristics and other marginalised groups going forward? How will any learning and enhancements be capitalised on and embedded?

 

 

The delivery of each project will be subject to a fully monitored project plan.