City of York Council

Equalities Impact Assessment

Who is submitting the proposal?

Directorate:		Children and Education
Service Area:		Education and Skills
Name of the proposal :		Inclusion and Belonging Special Educational Needs and Alternative provision strategy 2025-2030
Lead officer:		Victoria Coyle
Date assessment completed:		September 2025
Names of those who contributed to the assessment :
Name	Job title		Organisation	Area of expertise
Victoria Coyle	Head of Integrated SEND		CYC	Special Educational Needs
Lynne Johns	Specialist Teaching Team Manager		CYC	Special Educational Needs
Dan Bodey	Head of Inclusive Education		CYC	Children who have experienced care, exclusions, and attendance
Geraldine Jackson	Principal Educational Psychologist		CYC	Special educational needs
Demi Parker	Designated Clinical Officer		Health	Health

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.

The purpose of the proposal is to implement the Inclusion and Belonging Special Educational Needs and Disability and Alternative Provision Strategy in the City of York 2025-2030. The strategy sets out a clear, ambitious, and collaborative vision to improve outcomes and life chances for children and young people with SEND and their families across the city. It has been fully co-produced with our SEND partnership and families. This strategy responds to: · York’s SEND continued improvement journey following on from the existing SEND strategy. · Parent/carer feedback via York’s SEND Local Offer and forums. · The Council’s statutory responsibilities under the Children and Families Act 2014 and the SEND Code of Practice 2015. · Priorities in the York Health and Wellbeing Strategy and Children and Young People’s Plan · Ofsted/CQC Area SEND Inspection findings. It responds to the Council priorities with a focus for children and young people to · Strengthen our communities. · Be excellent corporate parents. · Outcomes for our most disadvantaged · Future proof skills plan and work opportunities The strategy focuses on making sure our children and young people feel that they are valued and visible, around early identification and intervention, providing the right support at the right time, and ensuring children and young people are well-prepared for adulthood. The plan also addresses the need for a confident and skilled workforce and improved mental health support for children and young people.

1.2	Are there any external considerations? (Legislation/government directive/codes of practice etc.)
	The strategy is underpinned by the legislation of the Children and Families Act 2014 and other relevant legislation including the SEND Code of Practice 2015.

1.3	Who are the stakeholders and what are their interests?
	Children and young people families, settings, including Early Years, primary and secondary and post 16. The voluntary sector, police, Health, including ICB. It aligns to the Autism and ADHD strategy and the relevant stakeholders

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.

The strategy is underpinned by the City for All principles of the Council Plan and the Children and Young people plan. It focuses on making sure our children and young people feel that they are valued and visible, around early identification and intervention, providing the right support at the right time, and ensuring children and young people are well-prepared for adulthood. The plan also addresses the need for a confident and skilled workforce and improved mental health support for children and young people.

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
Parent carer surveys		Included a range of questions around the SEND system in York, reaching out to all parents in City of York
Parent/carer workshop		A focussed session with families to look in more detail at the priorities and to discuss the key issues for families
DFE /York Mainstream Inclusion Review		An external one-day feedback session which focussed on school, family, and child voice on inclusion in mainstream York schools
Feedback from Autism and ADHD strategy and Inclusion and Belonging full consultation		Full consultation on both the Inclusion and Belonging and Autism and ADHD strategy provided opportunity for drop ins and discussion on the impact of this strategy
York Primary SENCO forum		A session with schools to hear their view on mainstream inclusion and the challenges and opportunities in the SEND system in York
National Development Team for Inclusion partnership training event two events		A focus with partners on support and needs for older young people and adults
Publication of the Listening to Neurodivergent Families in partnership with the Land, York Carers Centre, York Disability Rights Forum and Parent Carer Forum York in January 2025		Health Watch - Clear focussed feedback on specific
Summary of Ofsted Inspections last 15 in Yorkshire and Humber		Information and evidence on the key opportunities to improve the SEND system

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
Although there was a wide range of activities and full City consultation there is still the need to improve family voice and to reach a diverse and wide parental viewpoint through consultation, this is an area for improvement		A key priority in the Strategy is to increase parental reach. Ongoing work with Parent Carer Forum to support and extend the reach to more families. The SEND Hub will also be a significant supportive factor to achieve this.

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 strategy affects children and young people aged 0-25 as it positively impacts on this age group. There is a focus to make transitions more streamlined between age groups and support moving into adulthood. Early years also has a focus.	+	H
Disability		Children and young people with SEND are a varied group. While some special educational needs (SEN) equate to or coexist with a disability, others do not. The purpose of strategy is to improve York’s arrangements for all children and young people with SEND aged 0 to 25. This will have a positive impact on disabled children and young people. The whole focus on the strategy is on those children and young people who may have a disability and where they may not have been identified as such. It is a positive step to support more vulnerable children and young people, there is a focus on training for the workforce on the Equalities Act 2010. Research has found that when children and young people’s protected characteristics overlap with their special educational needs and/or disabilities, it may affect how some groups lived experience in York.	+	H
Gender		More boys than girls are identified with SEND. They are more likely to be in alternative provision. This is inclusive of gender and supports all genders. There are some specifics that are recognised, for example the need to look for more training support for staff to support girls who are more likely to mask their needs and the review and audit of alternative provision	+	H
Gender Reassignment		The strategy supports use of shared language and respect. This covers support for when a person identifies as a different gender to that which they were assigned at birth	+	M
Marriage and civil partnership		This strategy is fully inclusive in meeting the needs of all children and young people in York it does not have a focus on marriage or civil partnership specifically, it does support voice and influence of children and young people	0	N
Pregnancy and maternity		This strategy is from 0-25 and therefore includes babies and the multi-agency partnership work around support from hospital trust through to education is a key element	+	M
Race		This strategy is fully inclusive and committed to meeting the needs of all children and young people in York. Data shows that a higher proportion of White British males are identified as having SEND. To address this, the strategy places a strong emphasis on audits and continuous learning, aiming to improve outcomes and ensure all needs are recognised and supported regardless of whether a formal diagnosis is in place. This approach encourages a more nuanced understanding of individual needs.	0	N
Religion and belief		This strategy is inclusive of all children and young people in York	0	N
Sexual orientation		This strategy is fully inclusive in meeting the needs of all children and young people in York	0	N
Other Socio-economic groups including :		Could other socio-economic groups be affected e.g. carers, ex-offenders, low incomes?
Carer		There is a priority in the first year of the strategy to ensure all the partnership are working towards increasing the awareness of young carers in York	+	H
Low income groups		The strategy is inclusive and supports those children on low-income groups. Reducing the impact of poverty is central to the strategy. It has responded for example to the feedback from young people around signposting for low-cost options the work of the York Schools Academies board will focus on poverty proofing support in schools.	+	H
Veterans, Armed Forces Community		The Children and Families Act has a specific section on supporting children who are from families in the Armed Forces. This underpins the strategy and therefore has a positive impact	+	M
Other		Asylum seeking families, this strategy specifically makes awareness of the good practice to support children who have had to leave their homes to come to York	+	H
Impact on human rights:
List any human rights impacted.		equality and non-discrimination, education, health and social care, a decent standard of living, and the right to housing. Participation – people should be involved in decisions that affect their rights. Participation must be active, free, meaningful and give attention to issues of accessibility, including access to information in a form and a language which can be understood. Accountability – there should be monitoring of how people’s rights are being affected, as well as remedies when things go wrong. Non Discrimination – All forms of discrimination must be prohibited, prevented, and eliminated. People who face the biggest barriers to realising their rights should be prioritised. Empowerment – Everyone should understand their rights and be fully supported to take part in developing policy and practices which affect their lives. Legality – requires the recognition of rights as legally enforceable entitlements and is linked into national and international human rights law.	+	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?

The strategy aims to improve the outcomes of children and young people, for example, increase the engagement with education, and flexibility in school’s curriculum. Improving the delivery of information through the local offer and involving families more in the shape and design of services. Reaching out to more families for their feedback both positive and negative, through settings and the formal Parent Carer Forum and groups. The work of the Educational Psychologists is underpinned by the Human Rights Act and particularly a focus on child voice. The shared priorities of the partnership and the values and pillars are aligned to the Autism and ADHD strategy. This is underpinned by good strong relationships across the partnership. The basis of the strategy falls within the legislation of the Children and Families Act 2014

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 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.		The strategy is ambitious about advancing opportunities for all children and young people with a specific focus on those vulnerable groups, this includes having ambitious educational, health and care outcomes. This is a positive step forward.

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
Requirement to extend the reach of family engagement to ensure that there are more opportunities for families to feed back in key strategic work		Ongoing work with parent carer forum and schools with report back to SEND Board	Victoria Coyle	July 2026

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?
	Ongoing review will be embedded as part of the strategy review, each year. The monitoring arrangements of the SEND and AP partnership Board has been reviewed and revised to include a focus on the delivery of the workstreams, so that impact can be monitored.  This will be every 6 weeks. The Local Offer will include an annual update of progress to families.