1. What is the name of the function, policy or service that is being assessed?
Participation of children and young people(C&YP) in child protection(CP) conferences
2. What are the aims of the function, policy or service? Whose needs it is designed to meet? What are the current priorities?
To establish the wishes and feelings of C&YP-particularly to include those of a younger age, share these with CP conference members and achieve more C&YP relevant risk assessments and protection plans
3. In what ways might this function, policy or service affect some groups of people differently? Might some groups find it harder to access the service? Do some groups have particular needs that are not well met by the current policy or service? Please ensure that you comment against each of the dimensions listed below and where no issues are identified that you state this clearly against the relevant dimension.
Age
Currently the children’s advocacy scheme focuses on older C&YP, the format and style of CP conferences could be more child friendly, and the views of younger children are not always available or shared at conference.
Age is considered the most productive and prevalent dimension to focus on currentl. The remaining dimensions of Disability, Gender, Race, Religion/Belief, Sexual orientation can be incorporated into this primary focus
4. What evidence do you have for your judgement? Is there evidence of public concern (e.g. complaints)? Have staff raised concerns? Is there local or national research to suggest that there could be a problem?
Based largely on collective experience of local CP conference chairs. Also, younger children themselves have shown that they are keen to participate, and made this know to advocates for older siblings, or other professionals.
5. How and with whom have you consulted with as part of your assessment? What were the results? Have you published the results of that consultation? If so, where?
Child Protection Team members and feedback from young people. Unpublished
6. If you have found that the function, policy or service might have an adverse impact on a particular group of people, can you justify this?
No. It needs to be further considered and addressed
7. If the impact cannot be justified, what do you intend to do about this? Are there changes that you could introduce which would make the function, policy or service work better for this group of people? Is further research or consultation required?
Wider consultation, assessment and, if appropriate, research on obtaining and acting on the views, in particular, of younger children in CP conferences
8. How will you monitor the take-up or impact of the function, policy or service in future?
At CP Coordinators meetings as standing item.
At Local Safeguarding Children Board meetings and through the LSCB Business Plan.
9. What actions do you plan to take as a result of this EIA? Please include target dates for completion of actions and resource implications where possible
- Explore extension of advocacy service with Barnardos (June-initial meeting undertaken, September (pilot implemented) and December (to review the pilot and roll out in 2008/09).
- Monitor participation of children under 10 in conferences (Sept to Dec 07)
- Establish assessment/recommendation timescales (Sept to Dec07)
10. If no actions have been identified in section 9 above, please state when a further review of this assessment is planned
During 2008/09
11. Name of person completing form
Head of SC & Child Protection
Date assessment completed
9/7/07 Revised & Amended 27/11/07
12. Name of senior manager approving assessment
Assistant Director Children and Families
Date assessment approved by senior manager
27/11/07
Contact Details (LiveLink)
Multiple Contacts:
eMail: equalities@wiltshire.gov.uk
Telephone:
Out of hours:
Fax:
Postal Address: Equality & Diversity Team
Wiltshire Council
County Hall
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14
8JN
In Person:
DX:
Last updated: 14 May 2009
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