Equality Impact Assessments
In response to the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000, and the Equality Standard for Local Government, it is necessary to complete an Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) for new and substantially amended policies.
An EIA is a thorough and systematic analysis of a policy, whether that policy is written or unwritten, formal or informal, and irrespective of the scope of that policy. Carrying out an EIA is central to an organisation meeting its legal duties and in carrying out the process it helps ensures that polices are not discriminatory.
The primary function of the EIA is to determine the extent of a policy’s differential impact upon specific groups of people and in turn whether that impact is adverse. FCHO’s EIAs will focus on one or more of the equality categories of gender, disability, sexual orientation, age, religious belief, offending past, transgender and transsexual people, people with dependants or caring responsibilities and poverty.
If an EIA demonstrates that a policy has an adverse impact, the service area must consider alternatives, which more effectively achieve the promotion of equality of opportunity, or measures, which might be employed to reduce or remove the adverse impact.
The processes involved in conducting an EIA should not be looked on as an end in themselves. Instead, the aim of the assessment is the promotion of equality of opportunity and thus the outcomes of the EIA are of primary concern.
In conducting an EIA there are certain methods and procedures that must be considered:
Assessing how the proposed policies are likely to affect people from relevant groups; this should include collecting and analysing relevant data;
Consulting people who are likely to be affected by our proposed policies; and
Reviewing and revising the proposed policies in light of the assessment and consultation.
FCHO approach EIA in three stages: Initial Assessment/Screening, Partial EIA and Full EIA. The reason for the three levels is that a full assessment may not be necessary in every case, nor may it be appropriate to conduct a full assessment initially. Using the three levels enables FCHO to take a reasonable, practical and manageable approach to the process of EIA. FCHO view EIA as an ongoing process that is carried out continuously along side the development of organisational polices.
FCHO have carried out a number of EIA's based on identified priority needs.
You can download EIA's for the relevant service areas below:
Customer Care Charter for Staff and Customers EIA
Tenancy Management - Racial Harassment & Tenancy Support Policy EIA
Repairs & Maintenance Strategy EIA
Marketing & Communications Strategy EIA
Tenant Participation & Leaseholder Agreement (Customer Involvement)
For more information on Equality Impact Assessments, please contact us direct on 0161 770 3586.
What is an EIA?
The
main idea of EIA is to ensure no policies institutionally discriminate and that there is no direct or
indirect discrimination against any group.