Equality Impact Assessment
Equality and Diversity is about creating a fairer society where we are all included - where everyone can participate and has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. No-one should be denied opportunities or access to COPFS information or services because of their race or ethnicity, their disability, their gender or sexual orientation, their age or religion. We are part of the Scottish Government and this principle underpins everything we do.
The public sector equality duties require that equality considerations are integrated into all of our policies and practice, whether those relate to service delivery or to our staff and workplaces. Equality Impact Assessment is the cornerstone of these duties. It is a basic and essential stage of all policy and practice development and project management.
We have moved from seeing equal opportunities as a final thought or gesture, to recognising the need to build equality into all of our policies and functions. This helps us to find out whether and how something we do will affect different people and community groups - staff and the public. This allows policies and practices to be examined, reviewed and changed in light of any negative effect or unfair differences (identified or perceived). It is a basic part of any good policy or practice development - to identify in advance problems and areas of concern, and address them before things are put into operation.
It will ensure that
The purpose of Equality Impact Assessment is to improve the way we develop our policies and practices - to make sure we do not inadvertently create barriers that make it difficult for anyone to use our services - to make sure that, through our work, we do not discriminate and wherever possible, to make sure equality is promoted and diversity celebrated.
The guiding principle behind this process is that COPFS aims to treat everybody fairly, and promote equality of access and opportunity. By carrying out equality impact assessments, we will be able to make real improvements in our services and workplaces. Doing nothing, with regard to the impact of our work on people who face disadvantage or discrimination, is not an option.
Equality Impact Assessment Guidance is available to all staff via the COPFS intranet and has six steps:
Step 1: Purpose of Policy or Activity: Clearly identify what the policy or activity is designed to achieve and who might be affected.
Step 2: Aim for Fairness - an Impact Checklist: A series of questions to enable us to consider the impact on all minority groups - staff and public - within each of the diversity strands: Race, Gender, Disability (physical, sensory, mental health and learning disabilities), Age, Religion and Belief and Sexual Orientation.
Step 3: Involve and Consult: COPFS has the benefit of an independent Equality Advisory Group and a Staff Disability Advisory Group, as well as Area community organisations and networks.
Step 4: Decision-Making: In light of the assessment and consultation, we will consider if any changes are needed to the policy or activity. This may be essential to avoid unlawful discrimination.
Step 5: Opportunities to Promote Equality and Positive Attitudes: We will consider ways of using a policy or activity to encourage positive attitudes towards groups of individuals or promote good relations between different groups.
Step 6: Equality Impact Record and Monitoring: This record is the evidence of our equality impact assessments. It provides a means of recording why we have taken the approach we have. It also allows us to demonstrate that we are complying with the law on equality impact assessment.