Equality impact assessment - referral order policy & procedures youth offending service

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

Referral Order Policy & Procedures, Wiltshire Youth Offending Service

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

To provide a comprehensive framework for all those who may be involved with Referral Orders in Wiltshire. It covers both general background material as well as specific procedural issues. It is written with staff new to the youth offending service in mind, as well as established staff and panel members. It is designed to provide information, to give guidance on external constraints such as national standards, and to bring clarity and, above all, a clear policy and procedure to situations around which there may previously have been some uncertainty.

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?

None known – Referral Orders are made by the Courts, so the onus for compliance is with clients and whoever has parental reponsibility

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?

No complaints have been made by clients concerning this policy. Issues raised by staff and volunteer referral panel members are dealt with via the Referral Order steering group that oversees the implementation of this policy

5. Who have you consulted with as part of your assessment? What were the results? Have you published the results of that consultation? If so, where?

Referral order steering group, the minutes of their meetings are available upon request, plus YOS staff and volunteers

6. If you have found that the policy or service might have an adverse impact on a particular group of people, can you justify this?

None known

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?

Not applicable

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

Via the Referral Order steering group and annual review of the policy

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

None necessary at current time

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

Via the YOS website

11. Name of person completing form

Head of Youth Offending Team

Date assessment completed

30/03/07

12. Senior manager approval

Assistant Director Resources, Improvement and Young People

Date

2 April 2007

Last updated: 13 May 2009