Equality impact assessment - children's services

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1. What is the name of the function, policy or service that is being assessed?

Sure Start Children’s Centres

2. What are the aims of the function, policy or service? Whose needs it is designed to meet? What are the current priorities?

Wiltshire has 30 children’s centres which aim to provide integrated services for children under 5 and their parents/carers for a minimum of 48 weeks per year during 8am and 6pm. These services include, but are not limited to: information, advice and support, links with local childminders, easy access to child and family health services (including postnatal and antenatal), links with Jobcentre Plus and training providers, parenting programmes and activities for fathers.

Children’s centres are tasked to provide universal access and services to all children, but are also required to focus in particular upon reaching and meeting the needs of those potentially vulnerable or priority families which are designated as ‘hard to reach’. This group includes, but is not limited to: lone parents, workless households and children in black and minority ethnic groups.

Each of the children’s centres has been sited in a location identified by use of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (2007) and within each of the county’s community areas; additional centres have been placed in areas where the population of children under five is at its highest.

The delivery of services at Wiltshire’s children’s centres is contracted out to four charitable organisations: 4Children, Spurgeons, Barnardo’s and The Rise Trust.

The local authority retains the duty to deliver children’s centre services, and this is managed by the Head of Early Years and Childcare. Children’s centres were placed on a statutory level by The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act (2009) and part of the local authority’s role is to provide robust challenge and performance management, data supply and training to make sure contracted organisations are supported to deliver services and meet the expectations of statutory Ofsted inspections.

3. In what ways might this 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?

As part of the local authority’s performance management of the children’s centres, there is a range of targets which must be met and which include the specific focusing upon the inclusion of priority and excluded groups. Children’s centres will report on the qualitative and quantitative data of engaging with the following groups of people:

• Teenage mothers and pregnant teenagers
• Lone parents
• Children in workless households
• Children in black and minority ethnic groups
• Disabled children and children of disabled parents
• Other groups that are vulnerable in the children’s centre area such as armed forces families and traveller families

All contracted organisations have an equality and diversity policy which is held on file by the local authority and against which the children’s centres are monitored.

• Ethnicity - access may be more difficult for parents from a minority ethnic group because language and or custom may present a barrier. For example, Trowbridge has a large and established Moroccan population which has recently been augmented by eastern Europeans. Certain military areas also create pockets of minority ethnic populations such as Nepalese and Fijian. Information and advice available in written format may not be available in all languages, and most services will be delivered by predominantly English speakers.
• Socio-economic - children’s centres have been located in the areas of highest deprivation and so should be accessible to many of the neediest of families in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage. Access in rural areas may be more difficult for families who do not have access to, or cannot afford, public transport and so may face issues accessing those services designed to help service users improve their economic wellbeing. Preconceptions do exist that children’s centres are for particular socio-economic groups, which can create a reluctance to engage. Working parents may find the services more difficult to access owing to their working patterns.
• Gender - fathers comprise one of the ‘hard to reach groups’ which children’s centres are tasked to access although traditionally it has been difficult to engage this group. Low numbers of male workers within the children’s centres can lead to environments being classed ‘too female’ and so care needs to be taken to make sure that positive images of fathers and the fathers’ role is displayed within the building. Working fathers may find the services more difficult to access owing to their working pattern.
• Age - services are funded and designed for those children aged five and under. Families with children covering a wider age range may be impacted upon at specific periods such as school holidays when service users may have the care of older children to take into consideration while still attending the children’s centre. Parents/carers of children over five may have concerns that they are not able to access the help and support offered to parents/carers of under fives. Some teenage parents particularly may feel that they would be judged and categorized by some older parents in universal groups.
• Sexual orientation - there are no current identified issues, although it is recognised that prejudice can exist within all sections of society.
• Religion and belief - individual customs and traditions may make access to children’s centres less likely, or there may be concerns that children’s centres will exhibit a lack of knowledge and understanding of different beliefs and religions.
• Disability – all children’s centre buildings are Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) compliant and have been designed to meet the latest legislation. It is, however, recognised that more work needs to be done to make sure services are fully inclusive and tie in with specialist provision being delivered by district specialist centres and Portage services in the county. Some parents report fears that staff within children’s centres would not have the specialised training required to work with their children and understand their needs. As with services for fathers, some parents report that they would like more out of hours and weekend services to be accessed by working parents.

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?

All children’s centres use the eStart database supplied by Capita Children’s Services to record statistical and quantitative evidence. Percentages of attendance show where access by certain groups is low. These are compared against national and guidance indicators.

Children’s centres are performance managed against the statutory guidance and full core offer framework which includes targeting of vulnerable groups.

• Ethnicity - workers in the children’s centres report some difficulties in accessing some communities and low numbers are evidenced through statistical data and local authority surveys which monitor the level of use of and engagement with children’s centres. Information is also available from the local authority’s Ethnic Minority Achievement Service and through links with the Army Welfare Services in the relevant camps. Sure Start Practice Guidance (2006) also identifies that some ethnic minority groups suffer from disproportionately high levels of disadvantage and as such as deemed one of the ‘hard to reach’ groups requiring extra focus. Some centre staff do report difficulties gaining access to certain cultural community groups. Although not a national indicator, the percentage of children in black and minority ethnic groups accessing services is a guidance indicator which suggests further that this is an area of concern.
• Socio-economic - The Index of Multiple Need (2010) highlights nationally the areas of higher deprivation within communities and Wiltshire has 14 super output areas which fall within the 30% of the most deprived areas in England. Children’s centres are tasked to map their areas in terms of deprivation and are able to report to the local authority those pockets which require added services. National indicators used in the performance management of centres includes NI 118 eligible families benefiting from the childcare element of working tax credits, NI 116 percentage of children aged 0-4 living in households dependent on workless benefits.
• Gender - lack of male workers in early years professions is recognized nationally. National and local consultations reveal that some men can feel uncomfortable accessing a predominantly female environment and this is supported anecdotally by children’s centre workers. Consultation with parents not accessing services has shown that fathers are less likely to know about and engage with children’s centres and has also highlighted the need for out of hours services which can be accessed by working fathers, including weekend services. Although not a national indicator, the percentage of fathers accessing services is a guidance indicator which suggests further that this is an area of concern.
• Age - some centre workers report that younger mums and mums-to-be can feel judged. This is also reported by colleagues in the Teen Pregnancy team. Some parents do report to centre staff that during holidays they have problems attending services such as stay and play owing to having older children at home from school.
• Sexual orientation - there are no current identified issues.
• Religion and belief - we have not had direct reports of this, but some of the issues are similar to those experienced by members of black and minority ethnic groups.
• Disability - formal consultation has been undertaken (October 2009) and there continue to be informal discussions between parents and centre staff. Staff at the local authority also work closely with colleagues within the early intervention team. Although not a national indicators, the uptake of services by children of parents with disabilities and children who have disabilities is a guidance indicator which suggests further that this is an area of concern.

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?

The local authority has a statutory duty to make sure that each children’s centre has an advisory board and it is the local authority’s view that this should comprise one third parents and service users, one third voluntary and community representation, and one third professional (health, Jobcentre Plus etc). The function of this group is to provide support and robust challenge to the children’s centre co-ordinator, part of which will include ensuring equality of access.

In addition to advisory boards, each children’s centre should have clear procedures of consulting with parents using the service, either through a formal parents’ forum, or a more low key evidenced programme of consultation. Parents should represent the local community to make sure that all groups are able to feed into provision. Children’s centres regularly carry out their own consultations and this, together with evidence of the activity of the parents’ forum and advisory board, are advertised within the centres on display boards and via newsletters.

The local authority makes sure through quarterly performance management that these bodies are actively feeding into and directing centre services.

The local authority consults annually with parents/carers to gauge awareness of children’s centres and usage, and it also consults upon satisfaction among users. These are advertised via childcare settings in Wiltshire and the children’s centres.

• Ethnicity - children’s centres should form links with cultural groups within their reach areas and work closely with teams within the local authority which include the Traveller Education Service and the Ethnic Minority Achievement Service. Where applicable, children’s centres also link with Army Welfare services who may also form part of the advisory board.
• Socio-economic - as previously noted, children’s centres have been sited within the areas of greatest socio-economic need. Therefore, parental consultation and parent forums are representative of those groups most in need.
• Gender - children’s centres continue to focus upon consultation with fathers both formally and informally.
• Age - both formal and informally via the local authority and the children’s centres.
• Sexual orientation - there are no current identified problems. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered parents/carers have the same access to consultation and any identified problem or advice would be acted upon.
• Religion and belief - children’s centres should form links with faith groups within their reach areas and should, where possible, include faith groups within the advisory boards.
• Disability – parents of children with disabilities and special education needs, both via formal consultation and informal discussion. Formal consultation (October 2009) was distributed via district specialist centres and Portage services. Children’s centre staff work closely with the local authority’s early intervention team.

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?

• Ethnicity - celebration of all ethnic groups has to be carefully considered to make sure that no group feels marginalised. This needs to be reflected within images displayed in the children’s centres, actual sessions and written resources. Individual celebrations may seem like positive discrimination, but these are set in context as part of a cohesive plan of multiple celebrations.
• Socio-economic - cliques of individuals can form as can hostility that certain services seem to be targeted at those in receipt of certain benefits. Children’s centre staff work to integrate groups and demonstrate how targeting certain services has a long term aim of improving outcomes and reducing costs of adult services later on.
• Gender - some service users can be unhappy with a group that is open to male carers only. Where male users indicate that this is a necessary group to initiate them into fuller usage of the centre this is maintained, although groups can be opened up if the consensus agrees. Budgetary and staffing issues do affect the number of ‘out of hours’ services which can be offered, but where possible children’s centres are flexible in trying to provide services at weekends and some evenings.
• Age - nothing specific in this area.
• Sexual-orientation - nothing specific in this area.
• Religion/belief - celebration of all faith groups has to be carefully considered to make sure that no group feels marginalized. This needs to be reflected within images displayed in the children’s centres, actual sessions and written resources. Individual celebrations may seem like positive discrimination, but these are set in context as part of a cohesive plan of multiple celebrations.
• Disability - owing to the range of difficulties experienced by disabled children it is not possible to provide targeted support groups for everyone. However, parents are always facilitated to form self help groups and are signposted to those services who do have the expertise and remit to address specific conditions. Budgetary and staffing issues do affect the number of ‘out of hours’ services which can be offered, but where possible children’s centres are flexible in trying to provide services at weekends and some evenings.

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 policy or service work better for this group of people? Is further research or consultation required?

As described elsewhere, consultation is an ongoing requirement and is practiced by both the local authority and the children’s centres. Issues highlighted will continue to be assessed and remedied in a partnership comprising local authority, children’s centre, parents’ forum and advisory board. Children’s centre service plans will continue to reflect where further targeting and services are required, and this will be monitored by the local authority.

• Ethnicity - children’s centres, their advisory boards and parents’ forums will continue to monitor the situation. The local authority will continue to performance manage on a quarterly basis and through a programme of ‘annual conversations’ which creates readiness for Ofsted inspection. Children’s centres will continue to work with cultural community groups to instil trust and understanding in community leaders.
• Socio-economic - where rurality and/or economic situation of services users affects access to transport and so access to services, children’s centres will continue to make provision for delivering services in existing community buildings within easy reach such as village and community halls. Outreach staff will continue to travel to those families in most need to deliver services in whichever way is best for the service user.
• Gender - consultation will continue with male carers. Children’s centres, their advisory boards and parents’ forums will continue to monitor the situation.
• Age - children’s centres, their advisory boards and parents’ forums will continue to monitor the situation.
• Sexual-orientation - children’s centres, their advisory boards and parents’ forums will continue to monitor the situation.
• Religion/belief - children’s centres, their advisory boards and parents’ forums will continue to monitor the situation. Children’s centres will continue to work with faith groups to instil trust and understanding in community leaders.
• Disability - two district specialist centres are now co-located with children’s centres and this will continue to strengthen relationships between services which can more effectively co-ordinate what can be delivered to families. Two of the Portage services will also be similarly co-located and it is hoped that the impact of increased partnership work will be felt across the county. Children’s centre staff will continue to build relationships with families accessing specialist provision to build trust and understand of the abilities of the children’s centre staff.

8. How will you monitor the take-up or impact of the function, policy or service in future?

An annual cycle of performance management will continue to be undertaken by both children’s centres and the local authority. This includes quarterly contract reviews, annual conversations, collection of qualitative and quantitative evidence through the eStart database and the children’s centre Self Evaluation Form (SEF). Annual consultations will continue to be undertaken by the local authority. A programme of consultation will continue to be undertaken by children’s centres.

• Ethnicity - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation.
• Socio-economic - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation. Reference in particular to the national indicators NI 118 eligible families benefiting from the childcare element of working tax credits and NI 116 percentage of children aged 0-4 living in households dependent on workless benefits.
• Gender - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation.
• Age - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation. Joint working with Teen Pregnancy team.
• Sexual orientation - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation.
• Religion/belief - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation.
• Disability - performance management cycle, scrutiny of advisory board minutes and composition of board and customer satisfaction results. Consultation. Joint work with Early Intervention and CAF (common assessment framework) team.

9. What actions do you plan to take as a result of this equality impact assessment? Please state any resource implications:

• Ethnicity - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. Children’s centres with garrisons in their reach areas will continue to work with Army Welfare services to reflect the needs of the changing population.
• Socio-economic - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. To continue working with Jobcentre Plus and link with new provider of back to work services, Next Steps.
• Gender - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. Childcare will continue to be advertised as a profession to both men and women.
• Age - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. Increased work with Teen Pregnancy team and their clients through a new CAF route currently being established.
• Sexual-orientation - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. Discrimination will be dealt with where this manifests.
• Religion/belief - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. Children’s centres with garrisons in their reach areas will continue to work with Army Welfare services to reflect the needs of the changing population.
• Disability - consultation with parents/carers who use children’s centre services and those who do not. All organisations have been made aware of new equality and diversity training being offered by Bright Horizons. Training continues to be delivered to children’s centre staff to make them aware of issues such as speech and language delay.

10. There is a legal requirement to publish the outcomes of Equality Impact Assessments. Please outline how / where this will happen

Through the Wiltshire Council web site and the Schools and Learning Branch Strategic Plan.

11. Name of person completing form

Head of Early Years and Childcare

Date assessment completed

June 2011

Last updated: 5 March 2012